


Shaken

by rufferto, SlasherFiend



Series: True Hearts [2]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Chris may have werewolf blood, Drama, Horror, Humor, Isaac/Derek - Freeform, Knotting, M/M, Mates, Multi, Mystery, Romance, Sciles, allison/lydia - Freeform, au after season two
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-10-20 09:11:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 59,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10659459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rufferto/pseuds/rufferto, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlasherFiend/pseuds/SlasherFiend
Summary: During PART I, Chris and Peter found their way back to each other again after ten years apart. Chris was pulled back from spiraling into darkness some months after his wife died.  The bond that had formed briefly ten years before had been stronger for Peter. It reformed again and now Peter has someone to hold on to, someone to focus on. He had his anchor back. When the Pack is still unable to work together and forced to handle a difficult situation what Peter and Chris thought would now be unbreakable is shaken.  Can the bond survive it? Will they be able to help the pack of teenagers who can't work together while dealing with their own issues and a surprising revelation about Chris?**FYI, this is an RP. We are not continuing it anytime soon.**Please keep this in mind that it's an ongoing work in progress.**





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an RP  
> This will read like an RP with scenes happening in different locations.

CONTINUED FROM : Unbreakable (Part I of "True  Hearts")

** CHAPTER ONE **

In the bunker, Peter and Chris have taken care of things that needed to be taken care of, and Chris made the comment… “Are you going to take a shower with me or walk around all day with my come stuck to you advertising how much you like to be fucked?”

Peter grunted as he slid out of Chris, then gasped as he was rolled over. He smiled into the kiss and it stayed before turning into a chuckle as Chris got up. Peter propped himself up on his elbows. “Obviously.” He rolled his eyes. He got up and growled softly. “You’re lucky I love you, that’d be death for anyone else to say.” He followed Chris into the bathroom. “I think we can manage a quick shower together.” Peter reached back and pulled out the plug. He set it on the sink. “Besides, you’re the only one who gets to fuck me.” He smirked.

Chris just looked amused by Peter’s growl. He couldn’t respond right away since he was currently stepping into the shower. “No fooling around, we just get clean.” He told Peter sternly as he handed him a bar of soap. His phone did beep with an alert but it was by the bed. He’d get it as soon as they were clean. He made sure the pair of them stayed focus, deflecting any attempts by Peter otherwise. They didn’t spend long in the shower and Chris dressed just as quickly. Eventually he found his phone while Peter was taking time with his hair.

Chris had just run a comb through his and put on deodorant but Peter tended to take his time. He buckled on his belt and looked at the messages from Allison. Connection down in the bunker was spotty but for his and Allison’s phones it was a bit better as they were linked to the main network.

The hunter’s mood went from calm to not so much in 0.5 seconds. “Hurry up. Derek got attacked by hunters. I don’t know what Allison is talking about but she’s saying the Alpha’s have a Hale.” He clenched his phone so tightly with his fist that his knuckles turned white. “And something else. _Deucalion_ is coming.” He practically spat the name out.

They both heard of Deucalion. Chris knew his father hated him but not all the details. Chris knew Deucalion was responsible for his mother’s death, or so Gerard constantly told him due to his mistakes.

In the Jeep, “No it’s not over with or no you don’t want to challenge him?” Stiles had asked.

“No I don’t want to challenge him. I just want you to be happy. I know he wants you.” Scott shrugged. “That’s half the reason why I didn’t like him at first. So, whatever you want, I guess.” Scott blushed lightly and linked their fingers together.

At the loft, Isaac picked up the pincers and started to help take the bullets out of Derek, “Who’s Deucalion?”

“Deucalion has been an Alpha for as long as I can remember. Peter will know more, but he was responsible for some damage to the Argents back in 1977. I’m not sure of all the details. I only heard my mother talk about him like he was as dangerous as the hunters. She said something about him being on a quest to form the perfect pack. Looking for Alpha’s or potential pure Alphas. As I said, Peter would know more.” Derek let Isaac do the job and seemed to be pleased he even wanted to. “As for the Hunter, he got the drop on me so fast he’s something. He didn’t smell, so I had no warning. Like he was using something to mask his smell, maybe. He was fast but he didn’t kill me. He dropped something though. It’s in my jacket pocket.”

Lydia gingerly picked up the leather jacket between two fingers as if it would get dog hair all over her or something and fished in one pocket. She brought out piece of old hide, with the Argent symbol etched into it. The same one on Kate’s necklace. She paled as she touched it, thumb rubbing over it. “It has the same…It’s the same. Like Peter….He is death.” She gazed down at her feet and saw the worms crawling over her feet.  Her eyes glazed over and she screamed so loudly that anyone with supernatural hearing would not have missed it.

In the jeep Scott jolted. “Lydia! Drive Faster Stiles!”

Peter huffed. “Of course, we’re on a schedule.” Peter took the soap and started to get clean when he paused, hearing Chris’s phone beep with messages. It would have to wait. Peter did try to kiss Chris just a few times, to mess with him a little. Eventually it made the wolf sad to be denied his mate, so Peter stopped. Once they were clean, Chris got out and Peter eventually followed. Chris went to get dressed and Peter chose to fix his hair. This time it would look better than decent and just his hand through it. Peter tensed when he felt Chris’s heart beat pick up. Peter growled. Derek was getting into things he shouldn’t. Peter angrily combed his hair, then stopped. _There’s a Hale? Family? Someone survived?_ Peter set the comb down so hard that it snapped. He stalked out of the bathroom. “Oh really. He’s finally showing his face.” Peter snorted. He got dressed.

“Yeah he does, but Argent said I’m not allowed to try anything till I’m of age. I was surprised he cared about Derek going to jail.” Stiles smiled and glanced at Scott. “Kind of need that hand to drive you know?”

“Gerard mentioned his name once, never said anything about him.” Allison crossed her arms over her chest. This all sounded really REALLY bad.

Isaac gave a lopsided smile. His Alpha needed to heal and Allison could help, but it looked like Derek had got most of the bullets, only the ones that were hard to reach. Once finished, he set the pincers down.

Allison turned to Lydia and tried to hide a giggle as she picked up the jacket. Allison could just make out the symbol and felt her stomach drop. “Does that mean-?” She flinched as Lydia screamed.

Stiles didn’t ask why, just put the pedal to the floor, screeched around a corner. “Come on, don’t break down now.”

Chris took each of his emotions and harnessed them in. Throughout the shower he was tolerant but firm. Sometimes that was the only way to deal with Peter Hale.  He gathered weapons, putting each in place. “He killed my mother.” It was a clear statement. If Chris got the chance, he was going to kill Deucalion.  Chris’ mother was gone long before he’d met Peter. Why would Deucalion come here now? For Derek? Derek was hardly worth it. There must be someone else he wanted. Whatever it was they had to get through himself and Peter first. His eyes lifted and he looked at his Mate. He was steeling himself for the struggle to come but he wasn’t shutting out Peter. That said, he didn’t waste any more time. He gathered everything they were taking with them into pack and started moving. He needed to get above ground to get a clear signal. When they got out of the bunker he locked it back up. Once they got out of the bunker he was in action mode, gun out, scanning the area. When he saw nothing suspicious he took them to where the SUV was hidden. It wasn’t until he was in the car when he texted Allison back: **We’re on our way, do not do anything rash.** He set the phone down and looked at Peter. “We’ll find them and get them out, whoever it is.” He promised his Mate.

Scott let go of Stiles’ hand because he had to reach up and rub his forehead. It ached from the echo of the scream. “Just get us there in one piece.” He mumbled.

Lydia jumped and shook at her feet as though something was on them. She got up on the couch. “Can’t you see, they’re everywhere, you’re all dead, y—.” She whimpered once and collapsed like a stone on the couch, shuddering as she clutched the piece of hide and began to cry.

“Whoever it is connected to the Argents, Allison.” Derek exhaled as the last bullet came out and his skin began to close up, healing. “Thank you.” He laid a hand on Isaac’s shoulder.

Peter finished getting dressed and turned to Chris. Peter had nothing to say, well only, “You never mentioned that before.” But then again Peter had never really asked. When he had met Chris, he had already been married, there was no reason to talk about parents. Peter could feel Chris trying to process all of this, though he was just as confused. Deucalion should have no business here. That was troubling. Peter kept out of Chris’s way and followed him out of the bunker, heading for the exit while Chris double checked the system was armed. Peter huffed as Chris checked around once they were outside, but didn’t stop him. Peter simply followed him to the car. “They hurt my nephew, no one gets away with that but me.” Peter got in the car.

“I will, don’t worry.” Stiles turned down another street. They were just a few blocks from the loft. They’d be there in record time.

Allison turned to Lydia. “What?” She started to move towards Lydia. Allison turned back to Derek, her phone buzzed. “My dad’s heading out. I assume Peter’s with him.” Allison went over to check on Lydia. “I don’t know who it is. I didn’t even know who Gerard was till…” Allison crouched down and put an arm around Lydia.

Isaac’s smile grew. He had helped and the praise was nice, always was. He could get used to that.

Stiles breathed a sigh of relief as they got closer, but then police sirens filled the air. “Come on! Not now!” He glanced at Scott. They weren’t that far from the loft. Stiles pulled over, he’d have to explain this away. “Go without me Scott. I’ll catch up, you can make it from here.” Stiles shut off the Jeep and waited for Scott to get out before turning to see his dad approach.

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> See Chapter notes at the end. This is a long ass chapter and they might answer some questions. We time jumped at one spot but did indicate it and several things are happening at once.

Chris was quiet the whole time they drove towards the Loft. He gripped the wheel with a tight, stone-faced expression. He did not let his mind stray to possibilities for that would distract him and he couldn’t afford distractions right now. He had to trust Peter and couldn’t go over the many ways this could go south in his mind. He glanced to the side as he parked the SUV, he didn’t know what the right words were. That’s when they heard the scream.“It’s Lydia!” He jumped out of the SUV, grabbed his crossbow and crouched low for a moment to make sure the area was clear even though it was still daylight. He glanced over at Peter and jerked his head. It was clear. He moved first and fast but he did not have the skills of a wolf. He would not have known that it was not clear, that someone was watching. He would not know that the air had a faint smell of death that only an expert nose like Peter’s would pick up.

“Peter Hale.” The voice whispered from somewhere down the street. “Maneuver your pack out of my way, I’m told maneuvering is something of a specialty of yours.” The voice was low and gravelly, dark as if not quite human but not quite wolf either. Something else. “Deucalion is mine. This is your _only_ warning.” There was a reason Chris couldn’t detect him, he was too far away for human ears. If Peter made one wrong move, there was a good chance Chris was in danger. “I know where to find _all_ of you.”

Scott nodded quickly and was out the passenger door before Stiles’ father could see him, ducking and running. He ran fast through the town towards the loft, dodging through the street alleys and avoiding being seen. He would be there soon and his senses were already picking up Peter and Chris, they weren’t alone.

Up in the loft, Lydia was still shivering and sobbing in Allison’s arms.

“Lydia?” Derek took a step towards her. “We’re not dead. We’re not going to die. Snap her out of it!” He glared at Allison. “Do something.”

Noah Stilinski leaned in Stiles’ window and stared balefully at his son. “How about you tell me why you left school and what the hell is so important that you are speeding recklessly in rush hour traffic?”  
  
Rush Hour traffic in this area of Beacon Hills wasn’t exactly impressive. There were maybe three other cars on the road.

Peter cast a few glances at Chris as he drove. He wanted to reassure his mate that everything would be fine, except he didn’t think it would be. Not with Deucalion and his pack around. Peter expected Chris to say something when they parked, but he didn’t. Peter went to get out, then jumped out as Lydia screamed. Chris moved towards the loft and Peter started to follow when he smelled something unnatural. It reminded him of-his head whipped around as he heard a voice. He growled. “What are you?” He looked down the street, could just see the outline of a man. Peter wanted to protest, this wasn’t his pack, it was Derek’s. But Peter was going to defend his family, which meant helping the pack. “What do you want with Deucalion?” He didn’t know if he’d get an answer, but asking couldn’t hurt, right?

Allison glared at Derek. She pulled some hair out of Lydia’s face and helped her sit up. “I can’t stop it. We just found out she’s a banshee, I don’t think I can snap her out of it.”

Stiles wasn’t going to be intimidated by his dad pulling him over, it had happened before, despite it being awkward. Stiles sighed. “Who told you I left? Are you sure that I did?” He had kind of given himself away there, but he could maintain the innocent face. He wasn’t sure how long it would work though. “It’s an emergency, something’s wrong with Lydia.” Not a complete lie, but not the truth either. “And what traffic, I haven’t seen anyone at all on my way here.”

Peter could smell Scott as he got closer. “Stay back.” He didn’t want Scott blundering through and ruining his chance to get information from this man, or whatever he was.

Derek threw up his hands, it was the last thing they needed. The Banshee giving away their location.

Lydia shuddered as the visions finally faded and Allison helped her. She was pale and drawn but she gazed out at the window and the late afternoon sun. The shadows had made it dark and gloomy in the loft. “Argent.” She told Allison.

“I want him to pay,” the voice said with a heavy growl. “I want him to pay for how he polluted what was once a pure and noble line. Like you, I have been reborn to this earth. But I am also nothing like you.” The figure’s features were obscured by the bright sun behind him. He was tall and gaunt but that could only be determined by the vague shape of his form. He was cast in the shadow of a building.  He wore an old bomber jacket from a style several decades old, jeans and combat boots. He had a long barreled gun in one hand, aimed at Chris Argent. It was a way to stop Peter from doing anything rash. Under the jacket his shirt was white and blood stained. “I will kill him, without hesitation, for he has broken the code.” His voice was stone cold. “Keep your pack out of my way.”

Scott froze in his tracks. His first instinct was to resist any request from Peter, but this was different. And he could hear what Peter could. He found somewhere to hide and listen in, claws out. It was the very first time he’d actually listened to Peter. He would consider those implications later.

Chris squinted into the direction Peter was looking. He saw the shape of the man and lifted his crossbow.  “Who are you talking to?” He snapped at Peter, much more harshly than he meant to. “Who is it?” He moved into a defensive position. Weapons ready. Focusing, he could see the shape of a person in the shadows, barely, but could not see any facial features.

“Stiles,” Noah sighed, about to go into a stern discussion with he got a call from dispatch. “This discussion isn’t over. But I have more important police business now. You’d better be on the way home right after you help your friend. I’m writing you a ticket if I see it happen again. What have we got?” He asked into the mike. “10-91.” Came the voice from dispatch. That meant Animal attack. “East and first. Victim is alive. Ambulance on scene.” Noah grunted. “I’m on my way.”

Allison turned towards the windows. “My dad’s here.” She moved to sit next to Lydia, pulling her close.

Isaac went over and peered out. “Peter’s with him. But they’re just standing out there.” He turned to Derek. “Should we go out there? Argent has a weapon out and it’s not on Peter.”

“Pure and noble.” Peter snorted. “I should hope you’re nothing like me.” The guy smelled off, not a werewolf, or at least that’s what it seemed. Peter didn’t recognize the man, but he was a hunter. Chris might know. Peter growled louder, seeing the glint off the barrel, aimed at Chris. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Peter got a terrible twisting feeling in his gut that he knew what it meant. The hunter knew that Chris was with Peter. Peter heard Scott and humphed. “Not mine. I’m not their Alpha.” But he would stop Derek from getting involved if he could.

Peter flinched, but nodded down the street. “You see him? I don’t know, but he’s a hunter, he’s got a gun on you. He’s covered in blood. And I think he knows about us.” Peter was sure the hunter could hear him, hopefully this would lead to an acknowledgment on the last sentence. Peter didn’t want to think about the implications on that though.

Stiles nodded and glanced out the passenger window. Hopefully Scott got to Derek’s already. “Of course. I promise, just want to help Lydia.” Animal attack? That could only mean werewolf. This wasn’t good. Stiles fished out his phone and texted Scott. **B right there. Dad leaving. Animal attack.** Stiles watched his dad get back in his car and leave, heading off, before Stiles started the Jeep back up. She protested at first, but then he pulled back onto the road and headed for the loft.

Lydia shook her head violently, hair spilling into her face. She buried her face against Allison’s neck. “Another Argent.” She twirled her fingers within her girlfriend’s hair and practically climbed into her lap.

Derek followed Isaac over. He listened carefully, “All of you shut the hell up and let me listen. Peter’s talking to someone.” He reached for his shirt to shove it back on and held out a finger to Isaac indicating for him to wait. He opened the door to the balcony so they had a better chance of hearing the conversation.

“Sort of,” Chris admitted. “I can’t see any details, and don’t give him information he doesn’t have.” He knew the gun on him was a hindrance to any move he could make but he was already calculating a plausible escape scenario. He didn’t know how to comfort Peter when he was in this mode. This was how he dealt with things when faced with danger. He shut down emotion. It was what Gerard had taught him how to do and taught him how to be a soldier. When he saw the opportunity of the distraction from Derek’s approach he started moving to get out of the direct line of sight of the other hunter’s weapon.

“I didn’t ask if you were.” The hunter’s tone was mild when he responded. His head cocked and he snarled as he glanced up briefly. “He’s on the side of a wolf pack. _We hunt those who hunt us_. Christopher Argent has forgotten his oath and his duty to the name of Argent. I smell it on you, Hale. I smell it in him. We should have known he would one day disappoint us.”

Derek didn’t wait for more talking, he shifted and started moving down the building. He’d had enough and he could hear the man was getting ready to fire his gun.

Scott shifted back his nails long enough to text back.   **Hunter Here talking to Peter. Careful where you bring the Jeep down.** Then again, the Jeep might be a good distraction…except that Derek was providing just that.

The hunter fired at Derek, who got winged and went for cover, then at Chris who just got grazed as he had already calculated the best course of action to avoid getting shot. The hunter ducked back and used a dumpster for cover moving quickly to avoid Peter’s inevitable attack.

Scott growled, shifted and charged into the scene, getting in Peter’s way.

 “What?” Allison turned towards the window, but didn’t want to leave Lydia.

“Stay here.” Isaac leaned to hear as well, then watched Derek climb out. “Derek!” Isaac saw Scott come running through, then turned back to the girls. He didn’t want to risk getting shot, but couldn’t leave Derek and Scott out there.

Peter snorted. He let Chris do what he was going to do. Chris was a hunter, everything he wasn’t, so Peter wasn’t going to interfere with that. Chris could take care of himself. But Peter wasn’t going to let him get hurt if this strange man wanted to do something. “Don’t worry, I won’t.” Peter growled, eyes glowing blue. “Christopher is a good man. Fuck the Argent name. If his _betrayal_ is such a problem, take me on. I’m the one that corrupted him.” Anything to get this guy’s bead off of Chris.

Peter spun as he heard Derek. Peter snarled as he smelled the sharp tang of Chris’s blood in the air. Peter’s claws slid out and he went to charge, when Scott came up. Peter grabbed Scott and stopped him. “Get down!” He shoved Scott out of the way, towards the ground, then ran for the guy, eyes trained for the muzzle of the gun.

Stiles nearly dropped his phone as he tried to read the messages as he drove. Hunter huh? Stiles figured if he went down the street to the loft, he’d be right in the way, if he went the other way, he could cut off the guy’s escape. He turned down to the side entrance and peered down the alley to spot the hunter. As soon as he saw a person sized shape, he hit the gas, aiming to cut him off.

Chris appreciated that Peter didn’t try to protect him or act like he was unable to defend himself or deal with a graze. He tried to convey that through the bond momentarily but he didn’t dwell on it.  It would make it easier to work together when they started to learn how to fight as one. He immediately noticed how everyone did their own thing without any cohesiveness or streamlined style. Derek had jumped down the building without even a moment’s thought as to what laid in wait and had been winged. He was on the ground for a minute with a whine. But he was okay, he had scrambled to his feet eyes darting to the dumpster the hunter had jumped behind to get out of any retaliation from Chris. He had to reorient himself just briefly to realize it wasn’t bad and he could still function. He started moving.

Scott tumbled into the fray determined to be involved only to be shoved to the ground when he got in Peter’s way with a disgruntled grunt.

This put Peter in the lead.

The door where the hunter escaped through was ripped off its hinges. The hunter had run through the warehouse and escaped out the other side just in time to hear the wailing of Stiles’ Jeep engine. He avoided getting rammed because he leaped up onto the front of the Jeep (causing a dent) and crouched on the windshield to roar at the driver. He was a werewolf, not an alpha from the looks of it, but there was something else. Something off, his eyes were gold but also tinged with red. For a moment he shifted from half-wolf form and tumbled off the hood of the Jeep. Around his neck dangled Kate’s old necklace. He looked around Chris’s age with thick dark hair and sideburns.  

He took one look at Peter coming out of the warehouse and reached in Stiles’ Jeep to yank Stiles out through the window. Leaving him only enough time to put the brake in park so it wouldn’t roll off. Using Stiles as a shield he got across the line of traffic to the other side of the road. He smelled like the grave, rotting flesh and death.

Peter was the first to see the hunter take Stiles. Chris was a close second, and Derek behind Chris. The Alpha roared when he saw Stiles in danger. Scott sensed something already and was barreling through the warehouse until Derek grabbed him and held him back.

“STILES!” Scott cried. “Let me GO!” He struggled with Derek who had to dig his claws into Scott to keep him in place.

Stiles was the only one close enough to get a good look before the hunter switched back to wolf face. His fangs were long and jagged. “I’ll rip his throat out.” The hunter warned. “Don’t follow me.”

Lydia shook her head, “Don’t. Don’t go out there. Out there is Death.”

The hunter also kept his gun at the group, one arm holding Stiles in a vice grip.

Peter followed, glancing at the door, but then taking a second to glance at Chris and Derek. At least Chris appreciated being able to do his own thing. Peter would never get in the way of that. But that’s when Stiles’ Jeep came screaming down the alley.

Stiles cried out as the guy jumped onto his Jeep and dented it! “Hey! I have to fix that now!” He flinched at the roar, only because it was loud. Stiles squinted at the guy’s eyes. “What the Hell?” Stiles noticed the necklace swing before the guy jumped down. Stiles sighed and leaned back in his seat.

Stiles yelped as he was pulled out of the open window. He tried to grab the door, but his fingers slipped past the metal. Stiles coughed at the overwhelming stench and tried to wriggle out of the guy’s hold. Part wolf or not, it was worth a try.

Peter snarled at the Argent. “Wait a moment,” he told the others. Any wrong move would put Stiles in more danger. They had to assess what the hunter would do.

Stiles twisted, trying to pull free. He threw his elbow back into the guy’s ribs, but it just HURT. Stiles whined and slid down the guy’s body, anything to get away from him somehow. Stiles would try to pull the gun away if he couldn’t worm out of this.

Isaac heard Derek roar and Scott call Stiles’ name. “I can’t let them handle this on their own.”

“And I need to help my dad.” Allison didn’t move though. She glanced at the open balcony door. “I could do something out there, we’ll be right there.”

Isaac went out on the balcony and looked around. He could just see the group in the warehouse. “We have to do something!”

 “Go,” Lydia told them both. She pulled a throw blanket up over herself. “I’m okay.” She assured Allison. “I’m okay.” She took a deep breath and nodded.

The hunter had a good grip on Stiles, a vice like grip. He dragged him up by the shirt and growled at him as he started to move away. “Stay still or I will knock you out.” Luckily traffic wasn’t exactly popular in this particular neighborhood and the people who lived there generally tended to keep their heads down.  He kept his claws near Stiles’ throat. Ready to rip into it.

Scott wrenched away and Derek threw him back, only to have to deal with him charging again. “Stay back, Scott.”  Derek scowled. He wasn’t using all of his strength against Scott but he was using what he needed. He hoped Isaac would get down there to help him manage the furious Beta.

Chris barely panted as he checked the status of his crossbow. He could fire it and easily hit, but the man would likely use Stiles as a shield. He ignored Peter and Derek for the moment and tried to focus on the man’s features. He was familiar. “I’m sure I know you.” Chris scowled. “Let’s talk, just you and me. We can help each other. I think we have the same goal. Let the boy go, take me instead.”  He didn’t look at Peter, he knew what the wolf’s expression was going to be. “Yes. I’m engaged to the Alpha’s uncle, and with me is the only way you’re getting out of this alive. My daughter and another werewolf are on the way down.”

Derek blinked several times, “What?” He stared at Chris.

“I think I know who that is or was.” Chris said firmly. He finally looked at Peter, “I can fix this.” He lowered his crossbow, willing the wolf to understand.  “I just need to talk to him alone. You make sure my daughter doesn’t come after us. I’m going to need you to take care of her, okay?”

Stiles swallowed as he felt the claws press against his throat. He stood still, eyes locked on the little group trying to help. “Scott, I’m OK. Well for now.” _Just don’t do something stupid_. “Uh.” Stiles blinked, he hadn’t expected Argent to want to negotiate, let alone offer himself up.

Peter turned towards Scott with a look that said ‘really?’ But then he spun to Chris. “ _What_?” Peter growled at Chris, glaring. He knew if Chris had made up his mind, there was no stopping him. “Talking isn’t going to stop him. If he really wants to kill us or Stiles, he’d do so.” But Chris was right, if this guy’s self-preservation was all the way up, he wouldn’t care who he had if all he wanted to do was get away. And Peter could use the bond to find Chris. Peter sighed.

“I wish you weren’t so stubborn. You can try.” Peter nodded. He turned, to watch for Isaac and Allison. If he watched Chris leave, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from getting in the way. “Promise you won’t hurt him,” he told the strange man.

Allison and Isaac got in the elevator and rode it down. “You’ve got weapons, right?” Isaac asked, eyes glowing. Allison pulled out her knives. It seemed to take forever before they were on the ground. They ran out and towards the warehouse.

Derek was still gaping like a fish, unable to wrap his head around the whole engaged thing. He looked between the two of them, snarled and looked back at the man. They were all doing their own thing and he knew the man had a good chance of taking them down because of exactly that.

Scott calmed down just a little bit, apparently having realized that it was pointless. Derek was going to stop him from doing anything so he stopped trying to rush forward. He gazed at the man holding Stiles and promised murder if those claws drew blood.

Chris turned to Peter and put a hand on his arm. It was the first acknowledgement of feelings since they got back into the car and started moving. He tried to comfort Peter through the bond. “I’ll be alright. I think that might be my uncle Alexander. Gerard’s brother. I thought he was dead but I thought a lot of things. Allison might be able to get answers out of Gerard on how he’s alive. She knows where he’s being kept.” He turned back to the man. “I know it’s hard to believe, but we’re all on the same side. If you want Deucalion, let me assure you, I’m more than happy to assist. Do you accept the trade? Me for the boy?”

“What’s hard to believe is that an Argent has sunk so low!” Alexander snarled. “I can accept the trade.” He did not loosen his grip on the boy. “But you come to me first.” He gave Peter a cool glare. The setting sun was no longer blinding his features. “I will not kill him.”

“I’ll find out what he knows about the surviving Hale and where they’re being kept. That’s the important thing.” Chris said to Derek and Peter. “Give me at least a day with him. The pack needs training, and they’re a disaster. Get Allison to start with them, she’ll know what to do. I’ll be back. If he was going to kill me, he already would have. Derek? When I get back, um, there’s something we need to discuss.”

“Peter?” Chris rubbed Peter’s arm gently, seeking the wolf’s eyes. “I’ll call you as soon as I can, I promise. I love you.”

He noticed his daughter and Isaac and smiled at Allison. Then he turned and began to walk towards Alexander. Once Chris was close enough, Alexander loosened his grip on Stiles and let him go.

Peter scoffed at the mention of Gerard. “If he is who you think he is, we should just kill him.” Peter turned back to the man, glaring for a moment. Peter bristled. He turned back towards the loft. He hated this idea, even if it meant keeping Stiles from being hurt. The wolf growled and huffed, his mate was giving himself over to an unknown hunter who thought lowly of him. Peter didn’t like this _at all_. “If you break that promise I’ll kill you myself.” He felt the hunter’s glare boring into the back of his head. Peter sighed again. Yes, they had to keep that in mind, it was all for the mysterious family member.

Peter turned to Chris. “You better or I’ll come find you.” Peter let his claws and fangs vanish. He watched Allison’s eyes widen as she saw what was going on. Peter turned to tell Derek, “You might need to get your betas in control.”

Stiles went for Scott as soon as he was let go. “Wait, Gerard’s alive?” He felt like there was something he had missed and it was leading to more questions. But he didn’t have time to ask them, not with Chris giving himself up like this.

“Dad!” Allison got closer, she could see the other Argent with him. “Dad, what are you doing?” Peter stopped her. “What’s he doing? Let me go!”

Peter had his arms wrapped around her, to keep her back. “I don’t like it either, but this was to keep Stiles from being killed.” They watched Chris.

Isaac came in, sliding to stop beside Scott and Derek. He turned between the others. Had he heard right? Was Argent giving himself up to the new Argent?

Chris gave Peter a reassuring smile, and his daughter as well. He was sure of himself at the moment and that was clear through the bond.  He knew Peter was upset as much his daughter would be but he trusted Peter to get her through it. He hoped that was enough.  
  
Alexander simply looked at Peter as if he was something that should be scraped off the bottom of a shoe.

Chris just nodded at Stiles and joined the other Argent. “I’ll be fine, Allison. Ask Gerard about Alexander Argent!” He looked back over his shoulder once at Allison and Peter and smiled at them warmly. Alexander gripped his arm and they were gone in a sudden flash of movement. He was fast, really fast.

Scott held Stiles tightly, “Are you okay?” He checked him over quickly but tried not to be overly possessive and hurt him. “He didn’t hurt you?”

Derek glared at Scott and looked at Isaac, who had caught the tail end of things. “Shut up,” he snarled at Peter, unhappy with his uncle at the moment. Some days it could go either way. He was winged and in more pain again but he fought it. “We have to get out of the open.” He muttered. Derek’s bad mood turned to a worse mood when he watched Stiles and Scott together and sniffed the air. He couldn’t depend on any one of them, it seemed.  Except maybe Isaac. He smiled at Isaac and glared at Peter, “I’m trying!”  Peter who had the unfortunate bad luck to be someone Derek could snap at because he could not direct his anger at Scott presently.

“And, what the hell is that? Are you insane!?!” Derek jabbed a finger at the ring. “What is this about Gerard Argent? And who the hell or what the hell is Alexander Argent? He shot me full of bullets and managed to track me here.”

“Yeah Scott I’m fine.” Stiles let himself be pet and he just waited a moment before easing out of Scott’s hold. “I mean, he kind of yanked me out of the Jeep, I’m more concerned if my clothes ripped.”

Peter snapped his teeth at Derek. The wolf’s mate and anchor was gone and he was angry. Derek was lashing out but Peter was _pissed_. “Try harder!” Peter glanced at the ring on his finger. “What’s it look like? You’re not that stupid to not recognize what it is. I don’t know about that, but obviously he’s not human. He’s still a hunter, of course he was able to track you. But right now he has my _mate_ , so maybe you should cool down for a second before blaming me!”

Isaac laid a hand on Derek, just to get his attention. He was prepared for an outburst, something that had been ingrained due to his father, but Peter was right, unfortunately. “Lydia might know something too, maybe we should go back to the loft.”

Allison sagged in Peter’s arms, it was no use fighting him. She trusted her dad knew what he was doing. “Gerard’s alive, just in an old folk’s home. Dad put him there, he can’t walk or anything. His cancer’s gone but he constantly spits up the mountain ash. We know where he is and he can’t do anything. We’ll have to ask him if we want answers about Alexander.” She knew her dad was alive, but still couldn’t help feeling like she had been hollowed out. She didn’t know what was worse, this or when her mom died. She pulled herself out of Peter’s hold. “Isaac’s right, we should talk to Lydia, and then I can ask Gerard about Alexander.” Time to put on a brave face, it’s what her dad would want and she’d have to help Peter through this too.

Scott checked for him, just in case. “You’re fine.” He gave a sort of goofy I’m-in-teenage-love smile. The whole world for him didn’t matter at that one particular moment because Stiles was fine. Then he remembered other things were happening and his Alpha was angry. NOT his Alpha.  
  
Derek was ready to shout again but Isaac’s hand on him and derailed his train of thought. He looked puzzled because Isaac had voluntarily touched him more than once today. Isaac who was usually really good at not being helpful unless forced. He growled, but it was a halfhearted one. “She might.” He drew a long breath and remembered that he was wounded, _again_. He found himself able to focus again, oddly. He rubbed his face. “Shit, Peter.” His anger deflated thanks to Isaac. “I’m sorry, Peter.” He gazed over at where Scott was trying not to be moony over Stiles and trying to pay attention. Once again the pain at seeing them together wrenched his heart and he swallowed. He’d had to hold Scott back, when Stiles should have been his responsibility. He didn’t know how to be supportive, but he’d at least try. “Argent will be fine. Marriage? Really?” He went from being angry to being bemused and frustrated. At least the wound wasn’t magical so it was healing pretty quickly. He looked at Allison wondering what she thought about all of this.

They kept walking towards a broken down trailer where Chris presumed Alexander had been living at a camp-ground.  It was one of those old 70’s trailers that had more rust than paint. There was also a Toyota pickup-truck on its last legs. No one else was camping at this time of year. Everything looked fine until he realized they were not alone. Two more men stepped out into view, men he didn’t recognize. He hoped the slight alarm he felt did not alert Peter. The last thing he wanted was Peter to misinterpret something and come all hell bent his way. He was introduced to Joseph and Fenris, two Irish brothers, allies of Alexander, apparently. “What are you?” Chris asked him. The brothers also didn’t look entirely right, either.  
  
“Hedge witches, somewhat like Alan Deaton.” Alexander told Chris with a smirk. “They keep me preserved and we keep a low profile. You know who I am?” When Chris nodded, Alexander continued. “I was looking for you and imagine my surprise when I found you fucking a werewolf. I thought Gerard had made sure you hated them.”

Chris continued. “Circumstances changed that. Again, what are you? Gerard said you died.”

“I did.” Alexander shrugged. “I came back almost immediately after I was buried. Your mother did something. I’m not sure what, but she paid for it and I left before Gerard could try and get me to kill myself again. I was an alpha when I died, but I hardly knew that. Once your mother did whatever it was she did, it took a while to regenerate but I did on the next full moon. As you can see, there was a price to be paid. I live, but I’m not alive.”

“You’re undead?” Chris stared.

Alexander nodded. “So long as the spell is cast once a year, yes. But it has a price. I must kill. So I chose to continue hunting until I found the one responsible for the damage to our family.”

Stiles smiled back at Scott. Then he remembered what was happening. He turned to Allison. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know-I didn’t mean for-Hell I had no idea your dad would even-”

Allison shook her head. “I would have done the same thing if I had to. We’ve…been talking. About a new code. Protect those who can’t protect themselves.”

Isaac drew his hand away as Derek turned to him. Again, a defense, just in case. But Derek seemed to calm down. So it worked. Isaac wasn’t sure why, but was glad it did.

Peter sighed. “You’re tense, understandably. But you’re family, and right now the Alpha pack has a part of that family, so we should be working together to help them.” Peter smirked. “Well, it makes sense since Chris and I are mates. He just wanted to make it official in the eyes of the human laws.”

Allison noticed Derek’s glance. She shrugged. “My dad didn’t run it past me. It’s not like Peter has to ask me for my dad’s hand. And…they’re happy.” She half turned to Peter. “It’ll take some getting used to, but Peter’s changed. And my dad’s a part of that, I don’t want to take that away.”

Peter smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t ask for you to call me dad.”

“This is great and all,” Stiles cut in, kind of holding onto Scott still. “But I thought time was of the essence? We can talk about this later right?” He had seen Derek looking at them, but wasn’t sure what it meant and wasn’t going to ask right now. “Let’s go talk to Lydia and see if she’s OK.”

Derek nodded at Allison, grudgingly impressed and tried a kind of smile at Peter, though it was more of a grimace. “Okay,” he rubbed the back of his neck, “I can deal with that.” He would have to if he wanted to keep his pack together.  He nodded at Stiles, “Time is of the essence, yes. And-,” he looked at Peter, “you’re right, he has changed.” He was happy with that change. He almost felt like he could rely on Peter. Almost.

Lydia was feeling much better when they got back up to the loft, though she was sorry about Chris and gave Allison a brave smile. “I’ll be fine. Maybe Stiles and Scott can take me home to lie down? Since you have to go talk to Gerard and I don’t think anyone of us is willing to be near that man.”

“She’s not going alone.” Derek shook his head.  He looked at Peter. “Peter, will you go with her? Isaac and I can scout. Isaac, can you can show me where you last saw them?” He looked at Isaac carefully then looked to Scott and Stiles.  “Scott and Stiles can catch up after they drop Lydia off.  We won’t engage. We’ll just scout and wait to hear from you and Allison.” He looked tired already of giving orders. “Then we’ll wait to get whatever news Argent comes away with, or go rescue him if we need to. Okay?”

 

Back at the trailer, Chris indicated the necklace.  “Where did you get that?”  Chris didn’t mind getting revenge on Deucalion himself, so he was inclined to work along with Alexander.  The two witches were not communicative so he just kept them in his peripheral vision.

“It was mine first, I took it from the police station last month.” Alexander said crisply.

“Are you willing to talk to me? To settle this? We have to find the name of the Hale who Deucalion has. That’s all we want.”

“Cora Hale.” Alexander nodded. “That’s the name of the survivor. The last time I saw her, she was fighting for life. That was a day ago. Two other wolves were helping her stay alive. A blonde girl and a black boy, teenagers.”

“Boyd and Erica. Cora Hale.” Chris tried to think. “Cora’s Derek’s younger sister. I have to tell them!”

“If you want to prove you’re worth not killing, I suggest you stay with me.” Alexander declared.

“Let me text Peter, I told him I would.”

Alexander nodded.

Chris pulled out his phone and texted Peter **: I’m okay. The Argent is my uncle, Alexander.  Gerard’s older brother.  Alexander says the name of the Hale Deucalion has is Cora. He also has Boyd and Erica and they are trying to keep her alive.**

 “Yes, well if we’re done here…” Peter turned and walked back towards the loft.

Back up in the loft, Allison sat next to Lydia, for the moment. Peter stood near Allison. With Chris gone, she was the closest thing to an anchor. Peter wondered if he should say something about that. Though for the moment, the wolf seemed fine, Chris was fine through the bond. Peter would keep a close grip on the bond, it would have to ground him till Chris came back.

Stiles glanced at Scott. “Yeah, sure. Totally understand not wanting to be anywhere near him. I’m getting all…” He waved his hands about. “Just from thinking about it.” _Wait, maybe that wasn’t helpful_.

“I have a word or two for Gerard. Though from what Allison has said, I won’t need to threaten a man in a senior’s home. I’m not that awful.” Peter arched an eyebrow. “ _If_ we have to rescue Chris, you’ll know it.”

Isaac nodded. “It was downtown I think. It’ll be easier to recognize when we get closer.” He smirked at Stiles. Isaac knew how bad Stiles liked Derek and he wasn’t even going to spend any time with him.

They were starting to file out of the loft, when Peter’s phone went off. He pulled it out and stared at it for a second. “Derek, Chris says that-it’s Cora. Boyd and Erica are with her, trying to help.” Peter showed the screen to Allison.

“The guy is my dad’s uncle.”

Peter rolled his eyes. “A hunter with supernatural abilities. That won’t turn out well for anyone.” Peter didn’t want to think any more on that and got ready to leave the loft. They had to talk to Gerard before it got dark.

*At the trailer

Chris tried to keep his emotions a little more open, for Peter’s sake. But it was hard. He knew he needed to at least open himself up a little just to make sure the wolf didn’t get upset. His uncle, he found was surprisingly easy to get along with almost immediately. He was nothing like Gerard, even though he was an actual monster. He’d used his abilities for good all these years in order to protect people, to hunt. He lived by the Argent code as much as he could.  He soon learned that Alexander had travelled a lot, wandering overseas. When he used his powers, he would smell like the grave so he tried not to because it made it harder to avoid other predators. He’d used the Argent’s knowledge of herbs to make it difficult to be noticed, to combat that when necessary. When he’d learned about Deucalion making a pack of Alphas, he made his way back to the US. The witch brothers had been travelling with him for two years and they had a tendency to not talk. He’d rescued them and they stuck with him ever since. He explained that he’d returned to Beacon Hills because one of his contacts had spotted Deucalion.  Yes he was disappointed in Chris for joining a wolf pack. What hunter wouldn’t be? After they talked for a good long while, Chris felt a bit better but he still had one question. “Why did you not go to my father?”

“You don’t know?” Alexander asked curiously. “We loathe each other. Gerard always called me soft though I was the elder. I was certain that he would have talked about me if just to fill your mind with lies.”

“He only mentioned you once or twice as a warning about what a hunter should do if bitten.” Chris sighed. “I wouldn’t have let Victoria kill herself, if he hadn’t been there. I hate him probably more than you do.”

“Hm,” Alexander nodded. “You surprise me. I thought you would be more like him.”

“I was,” Chris ran a hand through his hair, “a good soldier.”

*At the loft

Derek nodded at Peter.  The last thing in the world he wanted was to come face to face with Gerard Argent. He’d kill the man.

Scott was only too happy to get the hell out of the loft. Isaac was starting to bug him with his looks at Stiles as if he was trying to goad Stiles.

When Peter delivered that news and Allison followed suit with more Derek stared at them in absolute shock. He staggered backwards from it. “WHAT?” Derek’s mouth dropped. His sister. “My, my younger sister’s alive? Cora’s alive?” He shuddered trying to control his emotions. He was the Alpha, he had to be better than that, stronger. He stiffened his spine and clenched his fists. “My sister-,” he fought to not look lost by the news. He couldn’t understand how Peter could keep it together when he was losing it. “We have to go now.” He valiantly strove to pull it all together, focusing on anger to keep him from ripping everything into shreds between himself and his sister. They had to be smart about this. They needed information. They needed a plan. “We need a plan.” He repeated the thoughts in his head. “Stiles, work on a plan and contact us once Lydia’s safe at home while the rest of us have other jobs to do.”  

Scott bristled at the order to his mate, but he didn’t say a word.

Stiles turned to Scott, he could see him staring at Isaac. “What? Is there something I missed?” He turned between the two.

Peter nodded. “Apparently.” He was barely keeping it together. But of course Derek would have a harder time holding it together, it was his sister. Peter still had his bond with Chris and Chris was fine, that’s how Peter was keeping control. “Well, we have a plan, talking to Gerard.”

Stiles put a hand on Scott’s shoulder. “Yeah, sure, will do. Uh, quick question, how old is your sister? Just for logistics.”

Peter and Allison left, going down to take Peter’s car. Allison gave him the address of the nursing home. They were silent the drive there. What would they talk about? Allison was mentally preparing herself on dealing with Gerard. Peter was a little on edge, but as long as Chris was fine, he had everything under control.

Chris and Alexander continued to chat. The two brothers remained quiet observers, very uncanny in their vigilance but Chris understood those kinds of people now. “Allison and I have developed a new Code for the Argent family.” He told Alexander firmly. He continued to keep open. He knew that he had to make sure Peter could reach out for him.

“Oh you have now? And what’s that.”

“Nous protègons ceux qui ne peuvent pas se protèger eux-měmes.”

“We help those who cannot protect themselves.” Alexander nodded. “Clever, but the other hunter families will not accept that.”

“Other hunter families are not the Argents.” Chris replied with a confident smirk. “Are you sure this will work?”

“It’s what we have. Your friends will have to gather the ingredients at the local hospital. I was going to take them by force.” Alexander gave him the list.

Chris texted Stiles with a list of things to pick up without much explanation.  All very difficult to acquire pharmaceuticals which would involve Scott and Stiles having to use Scott’s mother creatively. “If the Alphas get wind of what you’re gathering, they will stop you.”

Scott managed to handle it well enough. He had Stiles, after all. Actually had him, tasted him, even. Stiles was his! He was the first one to touch Stiles and he would not let anyone take that from him. Stiles’ hand on his shoulder of course calmed him down.

“She’d be seventeen now.” Derek sighed. “I don’t know even if she was able to finish high school.” He had to get out of there before Scott’s expression made him do something he’d regret. “Let’s go.” He kept moving, brushed past Stiles and cringed inwardly at the contact. He was glad for something else to focus on because at this rate he might just rip Scott’s throat out.

At the Nursing Home. Gerard’s wing was probably the least secure place that an old hunter should be kept. Chris had apparently not been concerned about any possibility of someone breaking in and offing his father. Most people stayed away from him anyway. He did know that Gerard still got phone calls. The hunter community didn’t know what he’d done.  His room wasn’t luxurious or anything out of the ordinary. Functional. Someone had recently cleaned up his floor and given him a larger waste bin. The black shit didn’t stop coming out of him. It would pause every now and then but eventually would start up again. Needless to say, it made him crankier than normal. When the knock came from the nurse to let Allison and Peter in, he barely lifted up his head. This was the man who very probably encouraged Kate to do what she did and then tried to make Allison into Kate.

“What a pleasant surprise,” Gerard’s voice was not especially thrilled to see anyone, least of all his granddaughter. “Do come in, Allison. I won’t be getting up, you understand.” He remained in his wheelchair. “Come to bring your old grandfather a basket of goodies?” His tone was mildly sarcastic and his expression turned into a hardened glare when he saw Peter. “Or have you come with help to finish me off because your father is too much of a coward to do so since you’ve brought the one person who wouldn’t think twice.”

“OK, around our age. Good to know, I think.” Stiles glanced between Derek and Scott and Isaac. There was something he had missed, he knew it.

Isaac got in the elevator after Derek. He stuck close to Derek, to keep his Alpha calm. He wasn’t sure if it would work, but if Stiles saw it, then good. Anything to let Stilinski know he wasn’t even on the same level to get this close to Derek.

Just then Stiles’ phone went off. “Argent sent me a list, I think it’s about Deucalion. Scott and I can take care of this after we get Lydia home.” He turned to Lydia, she had been oddly silent through most of this. “Are you sure you’re alright?”

“As much as I would love to let my claws drip with your blood, sadly we’re not here for you.” Peter noticed the hard look Allison gave Gerard. Peter smiled. There was no love lost between them.

“We’re here about Alexander Argent. What do you know about him?” Allison crossed her arms over her chest. Hopefully they could get this done and over with as quickly as possible. She wasn’t sure how much of Gerard she could take. And there was Peter. Allison didn’t know how in control he was or how long he’d stand Gerard either.

“We’ll get it,” Scott nodded, hurriedly tugging on Stiles so that they could get the heck out of there before he and Derek had words. “I can talk to my mom.”

Lydia gave Stiles an unhappy little grunt. “No, I have a splitting headache. I really just want to lie down. You all can go play heroes once I am resting in my bed.”

Gerard talked but his eyes were on Peter, not Allison. Every so often he would dab his mouth and nose to get the black gunk taken care of. “My older brother, the traitor. Why would you want to know about him?”  He closed his eyes briefly and opened them. “He was the leader since we had no sister and he was the eldest. It’s the oldest story in history. Your grandmother was concerned that she was not conceiving and took it into her own hands to ensure the Argent line. Without my consent or knowledge, naturally. She seduced my brother and he became convinced that I was mistreating her so he conspired with the enemy; a young arrogant Alpha werewolf barely through his teens was courting the Hale pack’s trust even back then-Deucalion. He’d lied to the Hales, telling them he had a pack when he didn’t.  Like all werewolves he shouldn’t have been trusted. Deucalion double-crossed my brother and slept with my wife. He’d been intending to bite your grandmother too because she was pregnant and he was certain he was the father and not Alexander. I came home just in time to stop him. I accepted the child as mine because the name of Argent needed an heir and I could not afford to do anything else.”

He gave Allison a wicked smile. “Later, Kate was born and I knew she was mine at least. Your Grandmother was a dutiful wife since that incident. However, Alexander could never get over my wife and he kept hunting Deucalion. One night he got too close, was bitten and killed himself, I didn’t stop him. When your father was thirteen, Deucalion came back into our lives. Presumably to see if he inherited the wolf gene which I had been watching for a long time. Christopher and I set a trap to kill him. My son took it upon himself to tell your grandmother what we were going to do when she asked. She followed us and stopped it. She died taking fire for Deucalion because your father was too weak to not tell his mother what we were doing. She’s dead because of him.”  Gerard finished with a cough. “Further proof that he’s not my child. He does not know any of this.” The old man looked positively gleeful at the fact that the news was going to destroy Chris.  “I learned later that your grandmother had brought Alexander back to life somehow. I don’t know the details. I have had hunters looking for him ever since.

Chris found it very odd that he got along so well with an undead werewolf who was his uncle. He didn’t remember his uncle very well. Once or twice when he was very young, Alexander had stopped by but he’d died in 1977. Chris hadn’t been very old but one thing he did remember was that his parents argued a lot. It didn’t matter, maybe Allison and Peter would find something else out that was useful. At any rate, they had a plan and he was ready to end this.

 “Yeah, sure, you coming?” Stiles swatted at Scott. He wanted to make sure Lydia was alright to at least get in the Jeep. “I’ll drive slowly. Besides, my dad already stopped me for speeding, don’t want to get on his radar again.”

“He’s got dad, traded himself for Stiles.” Allison noticed how Gerard wouldn’t look at her. She didn’t mind, she was sure Peter would brush it off and being the center of attention was kind of his thing.

Peter snorted. He’d ignore the comment about not being trusted. It had been true once after all.

“Wait, does that mean dad…? Are you not really my grandfather then?” Allison was confused. She had never heard about Gerard’s wife, had never asked. She barely knew the story about Alexander and it seemed it was just the bare details. Allison frowned. “Dad’s not weak. I’m sure he had a reason…”

“Well obviously your hunters aren’t very good at tracking your bother, because he found us. Someone shot Derek and Chris gave himself to Alexander so he wouldn’t kill Stiles.” Peter was sure Gerard wouldn’t care about any of this, and it was likely adding fuel to his fire, but Peter thought he could at least rub it in Gerard’s face that his hunters were no good. “Unless you have anything else to tell us, I think that’s all we need to know. I can track Chris and we can meet up with the others later.” Anything to leave as quickly as possible.

Lydia joined Scott and Stiles in the Jeep, following along.

Scott mentioned to Stiles as they headed to Lydia’s. “You know Isaac was trying to bait you, right?”

Gerard turned away from Allison and Peter. “Such a pity, you had so much potential.” To be a ruthless killer, just like his daughter. “Your father may or may not be my son. Your grandmother used a spell on him to mask his blood so we would never know for sure. She wrote me a letter and it was given to me on the day she died after having convinced me for thirteen years he was mine.” His wife’s confession. “She begged me to keep treating him as my son, so I did. You were raised an Argent and I am your Grandfather.”  Peter’s words made him snap back to the wolf. “Obviously I told them not to kill him.” Gerard smiled thinly, challenging the wolf with a superior look.

“I was going to leave that to Christopher.” Without telling him that the man might be his real father, of course. “He’s not weak. I made sure of that.” Gerard gave a nasty little smile. He’d turned Chris into the best damn werewolf hunter on the planet as revenge against Deucalion and Alexander. “But somewhere I went wrong.”  He looked at Peter again. “He surprised me ten years ago when he forced me to accept that Allison wasn’t going to be raised as a hunter. Something had changed his mind. Something I should have handled as soon as it happened. Thankfully, my daughter corrected that mistake.”

Stiles had been focused on driving, then turned to Scott. “Really? I mean, I don’t have werewolf senses like you do…” He glanced at the road. “Why? Derek can’t do anything till I’m older as it is. Why try to mess with me then?”

Peter scoffed. “She’s a teenager, she has potential no matter what. I’m glad Chris didn’t raise her to be a hunter.” Peter smirked. “Unless something goes terribly wrong, I’m sure Chris will let Alexander live. He has no reason to kill him, and if Alexander wants Deucalion, that gets him out of our way. You’ve done us a favor.” Peter smiled. He was sure that would rile up Gerard. At least it would make this visit bearable.

Allison smiled at Peter, glad he was there to back her up. She had never thought he’d say how great of a person she was. Maybe being around her dad did that to him. Maybe this was what Peter was like before the fire, more caring for those closest to him.

Peter growled, eyes blue. His nerves were delicate right now.

Allison grabbed his arm. “Dad would never forgive you.”

Peter settled a little, glaring at Gerard. “ _I_ changed his mind, at least I like to think so.” Though it felt like a stab to the gut that Gerard implied he knew. Peter thought they had been careful, how did Gerard find out? “Chris didn’t make a mistake, and even if he did, he’s making up for it now.” Peter held out his hand, showing off the engagement ring. Peter smirked.

 “Because Isaac is an asshole who is only helpful when it suits him.” Lydia grumbled from the back seat. “Will you both just get me home? I’m tired of listening to the dramatics.”

Scott snickered at Lydia’s assessment. “What? He is.”

Gerard’s smirked at Peter’s reaction, knowing that it would hurt him if he was part of the reason for the fire. Then scowled at the comment about wanting Deucalion out of the way and using Alexander to do it. “No! It’s Christopher’s duty to kill both of them. For what they did to my family!”  He would not let his brother have the satisfaction. He tried to get out of the wheelchair but coughed and wheezed and cursed. His eyes were filled with rage when he saw the ring. “Over my dead body will an Argent marry a Hale!” He ranted, apparently already thinking of ways in which he could thwart this. Some little alarms went off to various monitors that were handling him. Nurses and orderlies would be on their way shortly. “It will be a cold day in Hell before that happens, I planted contingencies!” If he could have managed it, Gerard would have attacked Peter. Instead he just coughed and wheezed and choked out black crap.

Chris felt Peter’s sudden anger and reached out to him without thinking. _Easy._ He knew it would be difficult for Peter to talk to his father so that’s why he had kept himself open.

Alexander watched Chris thoughtfully and glanced back at the Irish brothers. One of them gave a slight nod. He didn’t know how much Chris knew so he was going to hold anything else back for now. He sniffed the air briefly, eyes on Chris.

Chris closed his eyes and exhaled, he needed to try and listen and let Peter reach him. _I love you._ He had no idea how far the bond went, how much it meant and what he needed to do but all he knew was Peter was upset about something.

 “I know that! But-yeah, I can’t go any faster. Sorry.” Stiles slumped a little and continued driving. It was best to keep Lydia happy. Why did he have a crush on her if she was like this at other times? He grabbed Scott’s hand.

“But dad doesn’t know, it won’t have the same impact right?” Allison took a step back as Gerard tried to get up. She tugged at Peter’s arm. “We should go, they’ll be upset if we got him this emotional.”

Peter smirked. “That can be arranged.” His claws slid out.

Allison put herself in between Peter and Gerard. “Don’t.” She turned to Gerard. “It’s too late. They’re mates.” Allison’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”

Peter stilled as he heard Chris in his head. He let out a breath. The wolf responded, nuzzling against the bond. Peter calmed down and his claws vanished. “Let’s go, I doubt he’s going to say anything else.” He turned to the door.

Scott smiled at Stiles, glad that he was no longer distracted by Lydia. He’d been secretly annoyed by that for a long time. Until Allison, that is, and then the realization that Stiles was his mate. He stroked Stiles’ hand gently. “Don’t worry about him. Just drive.” They did end up dropping Lydia off and making sure she was secure.

They were right, Gerard wasn’t going to say anything else. He was well on his way to having complications with his situation. He gave one last parting shot. “I called the right people!” he snarled. “You’ll never marry him!” But the hospital staff showed up. When they forced them out he was still ranting. “I made sure of that!”

Chris relaxed as he felt Peter calm down. He’d never done anything that major before with the bond and was surprised it worked.

Alexander gave Chris a cool look. “You’ve bonded with him.”  His tone was entirely different from the way it was before. His assessing look made Chris extremely uneasy.

“How did you know what I was doing?” Chris frowned. “I have.”

“Wolves can sense these things.” Alexander responded. “Your life together will not be easy. Your father will not make it easy for you. I could help with that. I could kill him for you.”

Chris frowned, “What?”

“Gerard. He broke the code actively trying to become a werewolf. I don’t know why you didn’t kill him yourself.”

“He’s my father.” Chris said, stone-faced. “I’m responsible for him. He’s harmless now, anyway. He can barely move.”

“My brother has never once in his life been harmless.” Alexander warned. “No matter what state he is in.”

“I realize that, now that we have come to terms. My mate needs to see me. I can feel him getting agitated easily. Can I bring my daughter and him here to wait for Stiles and Scott to get the herbs from the hospital we need?” Chris carefully asked.

Alexander looked at him, and nodded.

Chris typed GPS coordinates into a text to Peter. **Meet us here when you are done. Bring Allison.**

After dropping Lydia off, Stiles drove to the hospital. “You think your mom can help us with this stuff?” He had no idea what he was going to tell his dad later about this. Maybe he wouldn’t say anything; that seemed to be best for now.

Allison steered Peter out of the room before he could do something. She didn’t like the sound of Gerard’s final statement. “He doesn’t mean it, it’s just a threat.” They walked back to the car.

Peter humphed. “It’s Gerard, you found out quickly, but I’ve known him for longer. It’s not an idle threat. I don’t know how he found out about Chris and I back then, we were careful and secret about it…”

“You can’t do anything about it now.” Allison just wanted to leave.

They were outside when Peter’s phone buzzed. He sighed. “It’s Chris. We’re going to him.”

Allison paused getting in the car. “Do you trust Alexander?”

“Do you believe Gerard’s story?” Peter smirked as Allison instantly frowned. “Exactly. I-We have every right to be cautious until Chris is actually with us.” Peter was glad Alexander had kept his promise about not hurting Chris at least. They got in the car and Peter drove off.

Scott felt better now that he had Stiles to himself. “I’m sure she can. She’s handling everything pretty well, considering and aware bad things are in town. Your dad’s starting to get a clue as well. We should, at some point, bring him in. He might get hurt otherwise.” Stiles’ dad didn’t know about Stiles and Scott yet. His mother did and supported them, of course but they had yet to talk to Stiles’ dad. It wasn’t as if he didn’t know, he knew, they just hadn’t actually talked to him about their new relationship yet. It’s not like they were hiding it at school.

Chris waited for Allison and Peter, knowing Peter would know where this location was once the GPS got their car closer. He knew almost the entire terrain around Beacon Hills and would have no trouble finding them. He frowned and put his phone away. “We’ll need to make sure Cora, Boyd and Erica get out of there alive, that’s the important thing. They’re innocent teenagers, uncle.” He sat down to wait for Peter and Allison.

Alexander nodded, “Agreed.” Back when he was a hunter, they didn’t kill werewolves unless they had killed an innocent. That was the code. Wolves could lead normal, productive lives if they organized their pack well enough. He had made an incorrect assumption earlier. Chris was still a hunter and he was not shirking his duty. He had sensed the strong bond between Chris and the Hale. Those kinds of things were hard to ignore.

Alexander found it impressive that Chris had managed to still do his duty to his family all this time and give up his lover. It showed spirit and courage. It reminded Alexander a great deal of Alice. She would have been proud of the man he’d become. He did not like remembering her. He had been painfully in love with Alice Argent. He knew what it was like to love someone you shouldn’t.

Stiles nodded, then sighed. “I know. Don’t you think that I’ve played the awful scenarios in my head of him finding out or worse and then asking why I didn’t tell him sooner? Because I have. But it’s not like I can go up to him and say ‘dad werewolves are real because Scott’s one and the whole animal attack thing two years ago: werewolf and oh last year Jackson literally turned into a lizard and killed people, not to mention the whole Hale fire being set by a vicious werewolf hunter’.” He glanced at Scott.

Peter drove, not sure what to say to Allison now.

“Lydia knew. She could sense Alexander back at the loft. She knew he was resurrected. That’s all because she’s a banshee?” Allison hadn’t had time to look up too much information on banshees.

Peter nodded. “That’s why my bite didn’t take either.”

“You knew she was a banshee then?”

“Well…” Peter knew he wouldn’t have to say anything for Allison to catch the implications that he had had no idea. “I had a suspicion, but I had never heard of anyone biting a banshee before…”

Now the rest of the drive was awkward. Allison sat, silently pissed and thinking everything over.

Scott smiled softly. “You’re right, dude.” He frowned and looked seriously at Stiles, “My mother came to terms with it quickly. I’m sure he will too. Your dad is usually fairly cool about most things, Stiles. We need to tell him about us. I just want to make sure he doesn’t think we’ve been keeping it from him for all this time.”

Chris was wondering if it had been a good idea to send Allison and Peter to see Gerard. He knew his father was awful but he had hopes that Allison being there might be a calming effect on him. He had a new future now, and Gerard was going to have to accept that. Peter was his future. He knew Alexander was watching him carefully. He didn’t care what obstacles Gerard put in their way. He would overcome all of them because he loved Peter and they would take everything thrown at them. 

So when time passed and Peter and Allison finally arrived all of his emotions weren’t as tightly in check as they usually were. Chris saw his daughter’s face and first went to her to give her a hug, “I’m fine, I’m fine,” he assured her. He gestured towards Peter to come and hug too, so Allison was sort of in-between both of them. If Peter resisted he simply reached out and grabbed him into the hug. He kissed both of their foreheads. “It was a misunderstanding, we’ve worked it out.” Chris took both of them over to Alexander. “Allison, this is your uncle Alexander Argent. He’s not going to fight us. Uncle this is Peter Hale, I know you’ve already talked to him and know who he is. I’m his mate and I’m going to marry him.”

Alexander studied Allison, “You are as beautiful as my mother was and you look a lot like her.” He told her with a faint smile. Confirmation that at least Deuc wasn’t Chris’s father, perhaps. He had not recently used his powers so the smell of the grave wasn’t quite as bad. He regarded Peter. “I have my reservations.” He told the man truthfully. “But my nephew has convinced me I can trust you and I can sense the strong bond between you. I apologize that I jumped to conclusions. I thought he had betrayed my family. I can see that he has not.” His voice had a soft foreign drawl to it like he’d spent a lot of years in another country. “He is nothing like his father.”

“Yeah, emphasis on the most.” Stiles sighed. “I’ve been thinking about that too. I mean, maybe it’ll help him with his job if nothing else. That can be the point of why we have to tell him, instead of just you know, because we want to mess with his head.” Stiles toed the pavement. “Come on; let’s get in there before it gets dark.” Stiles walked into the hospital.

Allison was a little surprised as she was hugged, but hugged back just as tightly. She laughed as she felt Peter get pulled into the hug too. She stepped back to get a better look at Alexander.

Peter rolled his eyes as he was pulled into the hug. “Oh is that what it was?” Peter kept an arm around Chris.

“Thanks?” Allison was still trying to piece together the whole story that Gerard had told them. She noticed the two brothers. “Who are they?”

Peter snorted. “Of course you do. Well that’s something. Chris is great at convincing.” Peter smirked, grabbing Chris’s ass. Peter nodded. “Thankfully not now. Speaking of…” Peter turned to Chris. “Your father kicked us out as soon as I showed him my ring. I thought he was going to have a heart attack when he saw it. Shame that nothing happened.”

Scott followed him closely into the hospital with an understanding smile and he put a comforting arm around Stiles’ shoulders. “You’re right, of course.” He leaned his head into Stiles’ neck and nuzzled him.

Melissa caught sight of them, “Boys, I’ll be with you in a minute, we’re a bit busy here.” She waved a hand for them to stand off to the side.  People were filling up the emergency room with various wounds.

Scott had made them stop at a drive through to get her favorite sandwich, a bribe, of course!

Chris leaned into Peter’s arm and just let Peter grab him; after all, he had scared both of them. So Peter was entitled to a grab or two. “They’re Hedge Witches who will do a spell that will let us get an advantage over the Alpha pack. Hunters work with them sometimes because they are also hunters of a sort. They are not supernatural beings, they are like Alan Deaton but a little more forthcoming with magic. They’ve been keeping Alexander alive. We have to work out a way to distract the Alpha pack when everything is in place. It might be difficult to draw Deucalion out into the open but if we can free Derek’s pack members, our Alpha will be stronger. We might have a chance to band together. Deucalion made the assumption that Beacon Hills has become weak, I think that’s why he returned.” At least that’s what Chris knew. His expression chilled almost instantly at the mention of Gerard. “Did he? I’m not surprised. Did he give any useful information about Deucalion?” He clearly had no idea the man thought he was Chris’ father. “Are you okay?” He asked as well.

Alexander frowned and simply shook his head. He clearly knew what they would learn from Gerard. If someone were to tell Chris now, he’d lose focus. He had the advantage of being out of Chris’ line of sight at the time so only Allison and Peter would have seen that slight shake of his head.  “It’s a compliment,” Alexander smiled, and a lot more besides. It was all the proof he needed. “She was a great Huntress. Compassionate and virtuous. She died as she lived, protecting the innocent.”

Stiles laughed. “Of course I am.” He tried not to blush, and failed as Scott pressed against him. Stiles pat his head. “Dude, not in front of your mom. Heeeyyy Mrs. McCall.” Stiles beamed at her, nudging Scott with an elbow. Stiles shuffled off to the side, glancing at the people that came through. He had to turn away eventually, the sight of blood was making his stomach turn.

“Oh. So does that mean Deaton has magic?” Allison tried not to notice Peter grabbing her dad.

“What counts as a distraction because Derek shouldn’t be it?” Peter was contemplating being a distraction himself, he knew Deucalion a little, and they could talk. Peter snorted. “He gave us a whole lengthy story. I’m not sure what counts as useful. Wasn’t much. Could have spared us the time if he had been more forthcoming.” Peter nodded. “Better with you, obviously.”

“She sounds like a great person.” Allison turned to her dad. “I know this doesn’t really have anything to do with what we’re doing here, but Gerard threatened Peter. Said he had contingencies so you two can’t get married.” After a moment she turned back to Alexander. “Do you know what he would do?” Even if Gerard and Alexander didn’t get along, Alexander still knew Gerard best.

“Gerard told us he wants you to kill Alexander and Deucalion. There was a story about how you may not be an Argent and…” Allison shook her head. She still wasn’t sure about all of that.

Peter sighed. He had hoped some of that conversation would be left unsaid. He glanced at Alexander. How much did he know?

“Ow, hey–” Scott grunted at the nudge, but gave him a goofy grin.

“Hello, Stiles.” Melissa finally had five minutes for them. “You’d better be treating my boy right, or else.” Melissa gave him one of her signature ‘I know what you’re up to’ looks.

Scott sighed, even his mom treats him like he’s the hot girl. He rubbed his face, “MOM! Stiles is great. We have a problem though.”

“You’re not pregnant are you?” Melissa’s eyebrow raised, she looked harried and eyed the package of food. “You brought a bribe?”

“What? No! Mom, I’m a GUY!” Scott flailed. “Me ‘n Stiles just thought you might be hungry.”

“Stiles, I haven’t got much time. What’s the crisis of the day?” Melissa plucked the bag from Scott’s fingers.

Chris scoffed, “Of course I’m an Argent, Alexander is right. You’re the splitting image of your great grandmother. My father will say anything these days, Allison, just to get my attention. I wouldn’t worry about that. I was hoping he would be helpful and tell us Deucalion’s weaknesses. From what I understand he was the one responsible for the loss of his eyes. Clearly, I was mistaken. I’m sorry you had to deal with his nasty side. He probably stalled with information in the hopes that I would visit him. Deaton doesn’t have ‘magic’ per se. He can use magic, there’s a difference.” He’d decided to just let Peter do what he wanted for the moment, the wolf would need contact after the past few hours. “You’re right, Peter, Derek is not in the best frame of minds to be a distraction right now.”

“She was a good mother. Don’t underestimate your father, Chris, even in his current condition.” Alexander noted flatly. “His hand reaches farther than you might think.” To Allison he regards her steadily. “He would put a price on Peter Hale’s head, is what he would do, just to make a point.” He knew exactly what Gerard had probably told Allison and Peter. “Because control is something he cannot give up. He was always better at the plans and yet because I was the oldest, he was not trained to lead. He was trained to kill, and he was jealous. It made him bitter and difficult. He has likely already set his plan in motion.”

Stiles shot Scott a grin and leaned against him as they waited. Stiles’ mouth dropped open. “Of course! I would never ever do anything to hurt Scott. _I’m_ hurt that you would think that I would betray Scott’s trust.” He put an arm across Scott’s shoulders. “Besides, you’d have to fight him for getting at me first if I did. Not that I plan to.” Stiles’ eyes widened. “Can guy werewolves get pregnant? Is that a thing we have to worry about?” Stiles shook himself, pulling away from Scott to pull up the list on his phone. “We need these.”

“Threatening your husband to be sure would be a way to get your attention,” Allison said and missed Peter smiling at her. “Why would he want you to visit him dad?” Was it so Gerard could tell her dad to kill Alexander and Deucalion?

“I doubt if he knows, he may have been lucky last time. But yes Gerard did blind Deucalion, Talia told me.” Peter had been a little preoccupied when that happened with Derek though.

“So Peter’s in danger then.” She pulled out her cell phone. They’d have to make some calls, to find out which hunters were coming.

Peter snorted. “I can take care of myself. There’s no need to worry. Though I appreciate it.” Peter turned to Alexander. “I know where Kate got her morals.”

Scott eyed Stiles woefully. “Dude, come _on_! I’m not a damsel in distress!”  He did not move away though. He loved it when Stiles draped himself on him. “Oh god, I hope not.” He actually paled at the thought.

Melissa laughed softly. “I should hope not. The look on your face, kid, so worth it. You two are adorable pains in the ass.” She reviewed the list. “Thank goodness they gave the scientific names for some of this stuff.  Yes, we have all this. What’s it for?” She took them off to the side so they could not be overheard. “It’s not exactly a list of things people won’t notice are missing.”

Chris exhaled, looking between Allison, Peter and Alexander. “Yes, it would.  I’m his son, and I guess that still means something to him.” If anything happened to Peter, he did not know how he would cope.  “I remember Gerard telling me that, yes, revenge for my mother’s death.”

“Maybe Peter is in danger, I don’t know. We’ll take precautions just in case.” Chris scowled at the discussion taking place. “I can’t believe he’d go that far.” He shook his head in disbelief. “What would he have to gain from that?” Other than making Chris miserable which he was very good at doing, of course, it seemed like he’d have to go see Gerard himself after all. He nodded at Allison. “We’ll make some calls. I have a lot of allies, Allison. There’s no need to panic just yet. I’ll talk to Gerard, sort it out and come to some kind of agreement. He probably just wants me to visit him more often.”  He clearly had no idea the true extent of Gerard’s madness, of the way he’d taken those grievances out on Chris for his whole life. His emotions were getting dark and twisted. Gerard always put him into knots. Just thinking about seeing the man more often made his skin crawl and dredged up memories he’d buried. The abuse was just under a thin vail of ‘training’. He couldn’t help a very slight, almost imperceptible to the human eye, tremble.

Alexander watched this whole exchange carefully, his eyes focused on Chris. “We’ll talk about that when the current situation is under control.” He gave Allison and Peter a very pointed look. If Chris was his son, he clearly didn’t want the man to know just yet. They needed him at the top of his game.

“Didn’t say you were. Leave that to the professionals.” Stiles smiled, then it vanished. “Uh, not really sure. Just something Argent sent us. It’s important, he didn’t say what for exactly. A spell as far as I could gather.”

“I’m not surprised,” Peter muttered. “If he could move, I’m sure he would have tried something when I was there.”

“I’m not panicking dad, just being realistic.” Allison frowned. Her dad was busy enough as it was, now he’d have to remember to see Gerard on top of that? Well it had to be worth it, if it helped Peter. And her dad would do anything for Peter.

Peter could sense the talk was bothering Chris. The bond was darkening and Peter let his hand drift up to Chris’s shoulder. “Hey,” Peter said softly. “It’s OK.” He glanced at Alexander. Peter knew that was code for ‘we’ll talk once everyone’s fine.’ Peter pressed a kiss to Chris’s cheek, then dropped his head to nuzzle Chris. “Focus on me. Can you do that?” He had a few other things he could use, but hopefully Chris would snap out of it soon.

Scott shoved Stiles good-naturedly.

“Huh,” Melissa looked them all down. “Argent, you say. That’s Allison’s father, Chris Argent. I met him a few times. Bit of a jerk, but kind of cute in a rugged sort of way. Okay, boys. I can get this on the list but you make sure it can’t be traced back to the hospital, you got me? I have a friend in inventory, owes me a favor. Just stay here and don’t get into trouble.” She headed off down the street.

Scott grinned and kissed Stiles’ shoulder playfully, and slipped his arm around his boyfriend’s waist. “I’ll make sure the professional damsel remains in one piece, mom!”

“Okay,” Noah Stilinski cleared his throat after coming out of a patient’s room where he had been taking a statement. He looked the boys up and down, arms in the places they were.  “Clearly I’ve missed something.”

“I should have known, I thought Allison would keep him centered.” Chris did what he usually did when he had to shove the horrible memories of Gerard back into their very tightly wrapped box. This time they wouldn’t quite fit. The fact that he had threatened the life of a person Chris loved made it impossible. He barely registered Peter’s touch at first but he raised his eyes and they were sharp, bright, laced with anger, tinged with pain. Don’t bring it up, he wanted it packed down where it belonged. He didn’t want to remember being seven years old when he first saw the severed body of a human.

Chris’ fists clenched with the memory of when Gerard made him watch as he sliced it in two. How he’d carried that sword to Chris, still running red with blood and made him hold it. It was a sea of emotion that he didn’t want to surface, so yes, he focused on Peter. He drew strength from the bond and let it wrap around him. The bubbling tide of his past soon sorted itself back into carefully constructed compartments while he focused on the man he loved. He stroked the side of Peter’s neck, “I’m okay,” he nodded. The words weren’t spoken with anything other than complete conviction and strength. “Thank you.”

“Hey,” Chris nodded at Allison. He was back to himself, though he still stood close to Peter. “Yeah, I know. We’ll figure it out.” He promised.

Alexander relaxed visibly. He would deal with the truth later. It was strange watching his son and granddaughter and not be able to talk to them as such but it was better this way. For now. When he was done with Deucalion, he was going to kill his brother. He lifted his eyes to Peter, one wolf to another. Gerard Argent was going to pay for the things he had done, one way or the other.

“Yeah that’d be him.” Stiles arched an eyebrow. “I’m telling him and Peter that you said he was cute.” Stiles nodded. “Thanks Mrs. McCall.” He had a feeling that if someone asked about the items he’d be the one taking the blame for it. He’d do anything so Melissa wouldn’t get in trouble. “Hey! Since when am I a damsel in distress?” He pouted at Scott.

“Uh, hey dad. There’s a perfectly good reason for why I’m here and not home. Um…” He shifted his footing. “Why are you here?” He needed time to think of an excuse because the weight of Scott’s arm around his waist made it that much clearer that they were together.

“He didn’t seem pleased to see me,” Allison muttered.

“I don’t think anyone’s pleased to see him,” Peter added with a snort.

Peter could still feel the dark anger threatening to consume Chris. The wolf whined, his mate was turning back into that horrible person he had once barely known. Peter let his hand press on the mate bite. “It’s alright Christopher. Let him go.” Peter had no idea what Chris was thinking of, he just knew it was awful.

Allison slowly took her dad’s hand, then hugged him.

Peter smiled. “Good. Though if you’re acting like this at the mere mention of your father, do you think you can handle going to see him? We had a hard enough time and we were together.” He nodded at Allison. Peter could only hope that Chris could get through to Gerard though, if anyone could, it would be him. That would mean he’d tell Chris the truth and try to get him to kill Alexander though.

Peter met Alexander’s gaze and nodded. He silently promised that he’d do anything, even help kill Gerard. Chris might not forgive him for it, but Peter knew Gerard had to die. In the process Peter would keep an eye on Alexander, in case Gerard sent someone after him. Alexander was family now, and Peter was going to make sure nothing happened to him.

Scott opened his mouth, about to respond then shut it and looked at the floor when Noah Stilinski surprised him. The awkward way he removed his hand from Stiles’ waist didn’t help anything. He couldn’t stop the flush that started behind his ears. Noah had already caught them once before and if the Sherriff saw it again, they wouldn’t have any more excuses. “We’re um, picking up medication for Lydia?” He looked up hopefully only to be pinned down by Noah’s sharp eyes. He cringed.

Noah’s eyebrows knitted together in concentrated thought as he watched the way Scott nervously disengaged from his son. “A bus collided with a car that was practically thrown in its direction so one of the survivors tells me. Lots of injured and a few dead, it’s not a pretty scene.” He looked somewhat distracted by that. He gestured between the two of them. “Do you really want me to start guessing, Stiles? I’m the one you got your imagination from, remember?”

Chris shivered and sighed under Peter’s attention to the bite, reminding him of the fact that he didn’t have to face this alone anymore. He hugged Allison tightly, he could not have done that to her as much as Gerard had been pushing him to back when it was ‘time’ to begin her training. “I’ve been dealing with him all my life, Peter. I know what he does and doesn’t like to hear.” And what does and doesn’t cause him to retaliate physically or verbally. He had been a shield between his family and Gerard for a long time until the man had used Kate to get around him.

Alexander gave a nearly imperceptible nod to Peter. He understood. Now all they had to do was wait for Stiles and Scott to get their hands on the ingredients they needed. “What is keeping your friends at the hospital? We don’t have a lot of time.”

Chris had also taken care of the graze, bandaged it as well. It hurt a little, but not very much. “I love you both.” He smiled at Allison and then at Peter. “Thank you, I’m okay, really.” He felt much lighter than he had a few minutes back. The darkness receded into the past and he didn’t want to talk about Gerard anymore. “Allison, can you text Stiles and find out? We should also check on Derek’s status.”

Stiles turned to Scott. Why did he let go? Was Scott ashamed to be seen by his dad? Stiles frowned, he felt hurt. He turned back to his dad. “Someone threw a car at a bus?” It was crazy enough to be true. Probably something they should look into. Stiles rolled his eyes. “Yeah I know. And-” He grabbed Scott’s hand. “We’re dating.” There, he said it. If Scott wanted to be awkward about it, then too bad.

Peter hummed. “I still don’t like the thought of you going alone.” He figured he wouldn’t be able to stop Chris from going though. Peter chuckled as an idea formed in his head. “You should tell him you’re taking my name.”

Allison pulled back from the hug to stare at Peter.

“I’m kidding.” Peter rolled his eyes. “But if your father wants to take my name, I won’t object. We could always hyphenate it.”

“Wedding talk later.” Allison smirked at how happy Peter was just from that brief talk. “Yeah.” She pulled her phone out. **Where are you guys?**

“I doubt Derek’s in any serious trouble.” But Peter still pulled out his phone. **Find anything?** “I love you too. We’re here for you, just like you’re here for us.”

Noah stared at Stiles, “Threw a car at a … What? Jesus, kid. No, of course not, collision.” He rubbed his face at this news. “How long?”  He folded his arms across his chest, focusing first on Scott.

“Not very long.” Scott linked his fingers with Stiles, a bit less nervous now that he’d made the decision for them. He stood his ground and lifted his eyes. “About two or three weeks, um, well. I’ve always liked him.”

Noah gave Scott a dubious look. “Didn’t you just go through a break up?”

“That was a few months ago.” Scott was slightly defensive.

“Okay,” Noah nodded. “Still a breakup, and now you’re dating my son, whom you’ve been friends with for years.”

“Yeah,” Scott kind of gave Stiles one of his puppy dog besotted looks.

“And you entirely missed that you liked him during all that time?”  Noah scratched his head.

“Well, not exactly.” Scott inched back a little.

“And what does that mean, _exactly_.”  Noah responded, like he might be questioning a prisoner.

“Stiles!” Scott gave Stiles a plaintive look. He was not going to tell Noah he had been jealous of a twenty-four year old that he had arrested once. “I didn’t know what it was! I didn’t even know I liked guys, but I don’t like guys. I mean, I like Stiles and he’s Stiles.” Scott waved a hand desperately. He cringed as his phone went off and it was Allison. His ex.  “I … I have to answer this.”

Noah just stared at him, face impassive. “Well, Stiles? Explain.”

It didn’t look like Melissa was ready yet. Scott typed back: **Need a bit more time. Stiles’ dad is here. Mom is getting it.**

“You can come with me and wait outside if it makes you feel better.” Chris told Peter and just rolled his eyes about the name comment. “I’m going to make you wait a bit longer before answering that, Peter. Allison’s right, wedding talk later.”  Though some small part of him agreed with Peter. He actually did want Peter’s name, even if it would be a hyphenated one and the bond made that feeling obvious before he could focus on something else. Like his Uncle. “I know you are.” Chris smiled.

Alexander did not seem to have an opinion on which name Chris should choose.

There was a few moments before Derek responded: **Waiting. We haven’t seen Deucalion, but the Alpha Twins aren’t here yet either. Kali is here with the rest of the pack. Hurry up.”**

“But that’s what you said! Or they said, right?” Stiles turned as Scott pleaded for help. He was going to say something before his dad cut in again. Stiles let go of Scott and turned to his dad. How to explain the mate thing. No, that’d be later. After the whole ‘werewolves are real’ talk. “Well, dad, when two friends like each other very very much…”

Peter shrugged. “It might.” He snorted. “Fine.” Peter stole a glance at Alexander. “Let’s leave him be, he doesn’t need to hear anymore family drama.” **We’re leaving, Alexander just wants Deucalion. We’re waiting on the boys.**

Allison followed Peter and her dad outside. **Ok. What’s he doing there? Did something happen?** She turned to Peter. “They need more time, Scott’s mom is getting the things on the list.”

Peter texted Derek again. **How long can you wait?**

“No Stiles, I said a car ran into the bus.” Noah looked somewhat exasperated.

Scott kind of shuffled his feet.

“Save it,” Noah sighed. “I already knew. I’m fine with it Stiles but Scott isn’t sleeping over anymore. I am glad it’s Scott, I was afraid you might get a crush on someone inappropriate. I do detective work for a living Stiles. Look, boys. Just don’t rush into things. I know it’s all new and shiny and stuff. But be smart, alright?”

Melissa came back with a hospital bag of stuff. She took one look at Noah then the boys. “Noah, come with me, I’ve a few minutes to talk and Scott just brought me food. Here you are Stiles.” She handed him the bag. “The stuff you need for –.”

Scott said abruptly, “Lydia, Mom, thank you. Um,” He squeezed Stiles hand, “We know, Sherriff. Sorry for not saying anything sooner. We couldn’t find a good time. I know I just got off a breakup.” He swallowed. “But I’ve loved Stiles forever, and it’s not really new for me.  I just didn’t know what it was until now.”

Melissa beamed at her son and nudged the Sherriff. “Come on, Noah. Let the kids be.”

Noah looked at her with a smile. “Sure, did the boys bring you fries? I’d love some fries.”  It was the tone of voice that made it very clear Stiles better not interfere between him and the fries.

Melissa gave the boys a smile that indicated she would handle Noah.

Scott typed quickly: **Soon, just got it. 5 or 10 minutes. Bus crash. Looks bad.**

Alexander definitely didn’t want to hear any more family drama. He was focused on one thing alone and that was the man about to wreak havoc on Beacon Hills. He’d deal with everything else later.

Derek responded with: **30 minutes max. I can almost smell her, Peter.** He texted the address of where they were at. It was doubtful, Derek’s sense of smell wasn’t nearly as good as Peter’s was. He might just be wishful thinking.

“The spell is supposed to help obscure whoever goes in to make them invisible to the Alpha Pack by sight and scent. Long enough to get them to where the teenagers are being held.” Chris said. “If Stiles has come up with a good plan for a diversion the fighters can engage the pack while Alexander and I corner Deucalion.” He seemed to agree with Peter’s assessment that no more family drama was needed in front of Alexander. “We should all meet there. The brothers can do the spell there, yes?”

Alexander nodded.

They packed up and headed towards the vehicles. Chris didn’t have his so they would use Peter’s car and Alexander had his own SUV.  It was time to get this over with.

“Why? We-are you afraid we’ll do something? Aren’t we supposed to explore sexually? It’s not illegal when we’re the same age right?” Stiles scoffed. “Yeah right.” Stiles nodded. “We know, Scott’s been pretty good at that.” Stiles blushed a little, thinking back to Scott sucking him off in the Jeep.

Stiles took the bag and smiled at Scott. That was a better explanation than mates and knots. Which Stiles planned on finding more about from Peter. “Dad, you know unless they’re curly fries then you can have them all.” As soon as the parents were gone, Stiles headed for the parking lot.

“Sounds solid. But who’s going to fight the Alphas?” Allison followed her dad into Peter’s car. Her phone buzzed. “Scott and Stiles just got everything, the sheriff was there due to a bus crash. I’ll tell them to meet us…Where exactly?” She had no idea where Derek and Isaac went.

“Well obviously I should be in on taking on the Alphas. Derek might be too emotionally vulnerable to do anything than get his sister out. That leaves Scott or Isaac to go with me. Unless, Allison you care to join us.” Peter turned to Chris, silently asking if that was alright. Peter had gotten in the car and checked his phone. “Derek says he only can spare half an hour.” **Where are you?**

*TIME LEAP*

Amazingly enough, they did manage to pull off a plan once Stiles and Scott showed up with the ingredients for the spell. There was a bit of bickering about who did what but eventually Stiles came up with a way for them all to coordinate. Stiles, Chris and Allison would create the diversion and deal with the less powerful Alphas. Peter, Derek and Alexander would take on Deucalion. And Scott and Isaac would rescue the teenagers under the cover of the witches’ spell. It didn’t go off without a hitch but it was still the best laid plan that the pack had ever managed to put together.

While Scott and Isaac were getting the teenager’s out, Derek killed Kali who was protecting Deucalion and Alexander fought bravely with the Demon Wolf.

Deucalion managed to escape after an exchange with Alexander.

“I’ll be back for my son,” Deucalion had promised the Argent, apparently convinced in his madness that Chris was his and that Scott would become a true Alpha and that was really why he was here, for Scott and Chris.

That’s when Alexander had lost control. He’d gone for Deucalion before Derek or Peter could react. Derek was still in the middle of finishing off Kali and Peter had just narrowly survived a run in with the twins and got out from under them. That’s when he came charging over only to find Deuc with his claws at Alexander’s neck, holding a dangerous looking weapon. “You know what this is, don’t you?” Deuc purred against Alexander’s ear. He’d apparently did not notice Peter yet or didn’t consider him enough of a threat.

“I know it will kill me,” Alexander rasped so Peter would hear. Deuc had him by the throat and was about to use it. He was moving past a brick wall that could be used as way of knocking Deuc to the ground to get Alexander away from him but the resulting chaos would give Deuc a chance to escape. Peter could also choose to come up behind the Alpha and kill him. That would surely result in Alexander’s death.

Allison heard Deucalion and turned to her dad. She wanted to see his reaction but was sure he wouldn’t make anything obvious. She was on her own now and was making her way to the others.

“What?” Stiles skidded up next to Allison, having lost Ennis in the turmoil and heard Deucalion. “Is that true? Is your dad a werewolf?”

“Wait!” Peter called but Alexander was already going for Deucalion. Peter ducked under the twins and went to help Alexander when Deucalion had him pinned. Peter slowly approached.

Peter growled and launched himself at Alexander and Deucalion. Peter tried to shove Deucalion off and against the wall. Peter snarled at the Alpha.

Chris had heard and the shock of it made him narrowly miss getting swiped at. Enis went for him again but curiously it wasn’t a kill blow. He was trying to knock Chris out. He used the opportunity that gave him to fire two wolfsbane bullets into Enis’ head. When he went down the twins changed trajectory to rescue him.

Derek slew Kali without hesitation causing a great cry to escape from Deucalion. This in turn allowed him to be taken by surprise under the force of Peter’s strength. The twins split, grabbed both Deuc and Enis and ran.

Alexander looked about to run after them until he saw the look on Chris’s face.

“Is that true?” Chris’ expression was barely contained rage when he looked at Alexander. “Is Deucalion my father?” It would make so much sense. Gerard’s hatred of him. He looked sharply at Peter with an accusatory glare. “Did you know?” He was so angry and hurt he was shaking and getting ready to shut out the bond.

As for Isaac and Scott they had their own battle to deal with. The other teenagers had been given injections messing with their control over their werewolf forms. Boyd and Cora went down but Erica was giving them a hard time.

She didn’t even recognize them. They might need help because she was about to go rogue unless Derek got there.

Allison went over to her dad, shaking off Stiles who was trying to get her to talk. “Dad…” She glanced at Peter.

Peter huffed as the twins pulled Deucalion away. He approached Alexander. Peter stared Chris down. “Gerard told us it was possible, but your mother did something with your blood. No one will be sure. For all you know, Alexander could be your father.” Peter kept his end of the bond open. But if Chris shut that on him, the wolf would cry out, like someone stepped on his tail.

“Does it matter?” Peter was sure it did, if Chris really was an Argent or if he could have been something else. “Gerard said you and Allison were still Argents.” For whatever that was worth.

“We need some help here!” Isaac called. He had a hold of Erica while Scott was trying to get her out. She was really fighting though, Isaac’s hold kept slipping.

Allison turned as she heard Isaac. “Dad, we can talk about this later. We need to help Scott.” She ran towards them, Stiles followed.

“So, uh that can’t be good. Do you think your dad’s going to be OK?” Though Stiles was wondering how Peter was handling it so well.

“He’ll be fine.” Or at least Allison hoped so.

Derek had seen what Peter had done out of the corner of his eye. Seen that Peter had chosen to rescue Alexander instead of taking the opportunity to gain the power of an Alpha back. It meant so much more to him than he could express right then. Also, Peter had other things to deal with. He turned to where Allison was running towards Scott and Isaac. They had both taken a beating from Boyd, Cora and Erica. Cora! She was alive.                                                                                                                                          

Allison’s voice barely registered but she was right, after all was said and done he would be fine. Chris clenched the fist that didn’t have a weapon. There were things he’d put up with because Gerard was his father. Things he’d done following orders because Gerard was his father and he’d wanted to please him. Things he wouldn’t have done otherwise. He swallowed and closed his eyes briefly as if trying to block out the truth. He couldn’t breathe and fought even worse images than those that manifested before.

“This is why I said not to bring it up!” Alexander snarled at Peter, no thankyous for rescuing him, apparently. He’d known what would happen. He knew about the trauma Chris had endured. “Chris,” he looked at the man. “Deucalion is not your father.”

“How can you know?” Chris exhaled, for the moment holding Peter at bay inwardly. He had to keep him locked out. He knew it would hurt but he couldn’t help it. There was too much darkness inside him right now. Too much pain he didn’t want to inflict on Peter, too many things he didn’t want anyone to know about. He couldn’t keep him completely locked out but he tried, the bond wouldn’t let him. “Of course it matters,” he snapped, his eyes locked on Peter. This was the only way he knew how to deal with pain. He knew that when he did this he looked like a different person, he knew it had sometimes scared his daughter in the past.  This is how he managed.  He didn’t know how to let someone else help him.

“I know because I feel it, Chris. I see how much Allison looks like my mother. I know you’re an Argent, one way or the other. You may not be Gerard’s son, but you are mine.” Alexander watched the hunter deal with the pain he’d known this would cause. “You are _my_ son, not Deucalion’s as much as he is certain of it.”

Scott got kicked in shoulder by one of Erica’s six inch heels. He staggered backwards, reeling from the impact. Erica snapped and growled at Isaac, using every dirty trick she could to get out of his hold. Blood gushed from the wound in Scott’s shoulder but he shrugged it off. He would be fine. “Stiles, stay out of her way!”  

Erica elbowed Isaac hard in the rib and tried to throw him off her. That was when Derek showed up though and his eyes flashed red. She howled back at him with wild, bloodshot eyes. Her veins showed up black against her skin and she launched herself at Derek.

“Chris is an adult, I think he can handle the truth,” Peter said, half turning to Alexander. “And really Deucalion mentioned it; I was trying to dispel any doubt.” Peter crossed his arms over his chest, snarling. “Christopher, do _not_ shut me out. I am your mate.” Peter flinched at Chris’s tone and the slamming shut of the bond. It wasn’t complete, but it was just enough. It was like Chris had slapped him across the face. “Fine,” he snapped and walked off, following Derek. At least he had his nephew. “I have my niece to save.”

Peter could hear Alexander and shrugged it off. He’d let Chris deal with that on his own. If his mate wanted him, he could track the wolf down. The wolf was whining, padding away. Peter wasn’t going to look back at Chris.

“What do you want us to do?” Stiles stuck near Allison.

Isaac felt his grip slip and reached out to keep a hold of Erica, but it was too late. “Look out!”

Peter growled as Erica slammed into Derek, eyes neon blue. He was hurt and upset, the wolf was angry and ready to lash out.

Allison turned as she heard Peter growl.

Chris didn’t even seem to register Peter’s anger.  The face he wore was closed off and tightly in control. Because he hadn’t completely shut the bond down he could feel the whine and it cut through the rest of it like a knife to the gut. Peter was right, he was an adult and he could deal with this. He looked back at Alexander and gave a small nod. “Very well,” he said between his teeth as he finally managed to reel everything in. “We’ll talk about this later.” He turned on his heel to where Erica was fighting Derek and Peter was ready to get involved. The last thing everyone needed was to witness drama between him and Peter and he had a feeling this was going to be a shouting match as well as a physical fight.

Chris knew the wolf was mad and he didn’t know what to say yet. He’d deal with it when he was ready to deal with emotions again. He knew Derek would soon have Erica under control, so he went over to where Scott was trying to deal with the out cold Cora and Boyd. “Are they okay?”

Alexander just watched Chris turn his back incredulously. He had been prepared for a shut out but this was different. It was almost like Chris shut down.

“They got shot up with some drugs, not sure what, but they weren’t themselves.” Scott said quickly. “I think Erica got the worst of it. Cora was half dead when we got here. She put up a fight but I took her out so she wouldn’t get hurt further. I don’t know what they are going to be like when they wake up.”

“We might want to make sure they’re restrained, then, before they wake up.” Chris nodded as though nothing whatsoever was wrong. “Especially since we don’t know what we’ll be dealing with.” It was easier to focus on this.  He knew the brothers would be of some use. Out of the corner of his eye he noted any actions Peter took with Derek and Erica. He knew he should reach out, he knew he needed to reassure the wolf but he also knew he might not even listen.

Erica cringed backwards at the growl from Peter. Derek hit into her, throwing her off of him and she spun away from it into Peter’s direction.

Peter snarled and grabbed Erica, shoving her to the floor with a roar. He raised his arm to strike when a flash of light blinded him. He turned away, covering his eyes.

Allison had her bow. She had launched a flashing arrow into the ground near Peter to distract him. Only problem is now he turned to her with the same dangerous glint in his eyes that he had when his claws were in Kate’s throat. Allison drew her bow again.

“Derek!” Isaac moved to stop Peter, slamming into him.

Stiles grabbed at Allison’s bow. “Hang on a second.”

Allison took a few steps back, fingers still ready to fire again.

Stiles turned to Scott, silently pleading he do something. Maybe they needed Lydia? “We might have to restrain Peter too,” Stiles told Chris.

Peter tossed Isaac aside and growled at Allison and Stiles. He knew his anger wasn’t at them, but the wolf was lashing out. He was hurt and anyone attempting to help would get hurt as well or tossed out of the way. The desire to hurt and maim was too strong. He was closed off, unbalanced again. He took a few steps towards Allison and Stiles.

“I don’t know, Stiles.” Scott picked up Cora. “We need to get them to a secure place.”

That left Boyd for Isaac.  

Chris’s attention was switched back to Peter once it was clear what was happening. He nodded at Stiles. “I’ll take care of it. Peter!”  Chris stared, gaining a grasp of the situation almost too late.  He reacted quickly, at least. He turned and immediately put himself between Peter and Allison and Stiles. He hadn’t realized how fragile Peter’s control actually was. “It’s not them you’re mad at. It’s me. I didn’t realize, I’m sorry.” He hadn’t realized how much Peter needed that bond until just now. How much Peter needed him. It was just how he dealt with things. “Peter!” He drew Peter’s attention to him alone.  “Everyone leave.” He told the group. “I can get him under control but you all have to leave.” He didn’t want anyone witnessing what he’d have to do to accomplish this.

Erica was out cold on the floor from Peter’s attack, her head having knocked against the pavement. Derek was instantly at her side and lifting her up. “Isaac?” He looked at Isaac worry in his eyes as he hauled Erica over his shoulder.

“Allison, go with Alexander and the mages. Get Boyd, Erica and Cora secure. You may have to take them to the bunker. Stiles, make sure no one looks where they shouldn’t.” Chris said sharply. “Peter, look at me.” He told his Mate and though it pained him to show the reasons for his trauma he opened himself up again.  He put down his weapon and straightened back up slowly.

He would trust that Peter could not kill him, but he knew there was going to be a fight.

Peter growled at Chris. “Now you care? Now you want to talk?” Peter huffed. “You knew what you were doing, you’re just like Gerard.” Peter knew that was a low blow and not fair since Chris was already emotional from the revelation. But Peter didn’t care, his defense was to hurt back before he could get hurt more.

Peter watched the group trail out. He didn’t move. He would deal with Chris. Nothing mattered right now but the boiling rage inside the wolf right now.

“Is your sister OK?” Isaac hadn’t meant to get Derek’s direct attention. He had just hoped Derek would help with Peter or something. Isaac didn’t want Allison to get hurt. Isaac ducked his head. “Let’s get them out of here.”

“Yeah I know…” Stiles tugged at Allison, to get her to leave. “Yes sir. Allison, come on.”

Alison was the last one out, not wanting to leave her dad with Peter, hunter instincts fighting within her. She finally went out and found Alexander. “We’re going to need your help again. We need to figure out what’s wrong with the rest of Derek’s pack.”

As soon as Derek and the others were out of earshot, Peter tsked. “Didn’t want the kids to see daddy fight? Allison’s already seen you hurt, what are you holding back for?” He could feel the bond open again, along with Chris’s own pain. Peter curled his hands, claws flashing in the darkness. “You’re not a good man Argent, neither am I. So let’s get this over with.”

 “Peter, I’m not going to fight you.” Chris told him flatly and didn’t rise to the bait. He would defend himself but he wasn’t going to fight Peter. He was going to do something once he got hold of the wolf, but that would mean he’d need to be within touching distance. And that? That’s what he didn’t want the kids to see. He unbuttoned his shirt just enough to reveal the mate-bite. “I’m holding back because I made a mistake. I went to my usual mechanisms for dealing and I’m sorry.”

Chris stepped away from the weapon he’d put on the floor. He wasn’t defenseless, as he’d said before, his body was the weapon. Other things were just extensions, but this was important. “This isn’t about which one of us is the better man.”

Chris exhaled, he knew Peter was going to charge at him and braced himself for it. “I care,” Chris said quietly. “And I didn’t know what I was doing was not something you can handle yet.  I thought you would understand.” His neck exposed, his head tilted slightly, he hoped it was enough. He actually wanted Peter to charge him, he knew he’d take damage from it but it would give him the opportunity to do what he needed to do to get Peter back under control.

As for the others, it took quite a bit of time to get back to the bunker, a thing Derek didn’t understand but after a while it made sense. The Alphas were still out there. This was the safest place for them.

Scott was quiet, carefully holding Cora in his arms and staring at her in some sort of awe. She’d survived the fire. She was beautiful, but he wasn’t in love with her or anything. He was just fascinated. Stiles was his mate. This was a female version of Derek. There were several tables at the Argent bunker so he laid her out on one. He blocked out the scent of Chris and Peter that was everywhere in the bunker.

Derek laid Erica out the same way. “Argent mentioned restraints?” He was completely uncomfortable being in this place full of everything that could kill him. Not to mention the smell. He directed that at Allison.

Alexander parted from the group leaving the brothers to deal with figuring out what was wrong. He would keep an eye out above ground. He did not like being below ground. Some sort of phobia.

The wolf wanted to listen to his mate, but his mate had been the one to cause pain and Peter let out a high pitched whine. “Are you? Are you really sorry?” The sarcasm was dripping from his lips. “No, I guess not.” Peter snorted. “Well you thought wrong. Don’t you know anything about werewolf mates? No, you wouldn’t since all you do is kill them.”

Peter could see what Chris was doing. Exposing the bite made Peter feel ill. He launched himself at Chris, taking them both down to the floor. Peter snarled, he needed to-to…He lost some of his anger, being on top of his mate. But he could be a free man again…Peter whined, digging his claws into Chris.

Stiles stood near Scott, glancing at the unconscious wolves. He could tell how uneasy all the others were, probably because it still smelled like sex. Stiles was sure he had never seen Derek this unnerved before.

“I’ll get them.” Allison set about getting cuffs. “Stiles, I could use your help with this.”

Stiles wandered over to help, gathering the cuffs into his arms.

Isaac stood near the door, where the air circulated. It didn’t smell as bad here.

Derek glanced back at Isaac, he couldn’t blame him. The place well. The place reeked of sex and he really did not want to know what was behind that divider. He did snap out of it and started to help getting the unconscious wolves taken care of. He gazed at his sister, unable to comprehend the fact that she was alive. His heart swelled. He smiled as he brushed her hair out of her face. She had been in pigtails the last time he saw her. He lifted his face to Scott and then to Stiles. It was probably the first time there had ever been a smile on it, a real smile. “She’s alive,” he exhaled.

“She is,” Scott nodded, he felt a little uncomfortable knowing that it should be Stiles who should share that smile. He let Derek take care of Cora and went to check on Erica who the brothers were working on first, given that her veins had been black at one point when she was attacking Peter and Derek.

Chris groaned under the weight of Peter’s attack. The claws hurt as much as Peter’s words did but he knew he deserved them. A part of him wanted to just let Peter rip into him because he was right. Gerard had bred him to do just that, a man he’d blindly followed in the beginning until he began to see it was wrong and there were times they broke the code. “I am sorry,” Chris tried to hold Peter’s eyes.  

He reached up and gripped Peter’s neck, slid his hand down and pressed down on the spot he knew would tether Peter, before his claws did any more damage. This was why he’d sent everyone away. He hadn’t wanted them to see this weakness. He’d promised Peter. If Peter tried to yank his arm away or throw him off, he dug his fingers in. “Peter, I’m sorry.” The wolf’s claws were dangerously close to vital organs. He opened himself up fully, letting the wolf back in, exposing him to the trauma of his childhood. In the past he’d only talked about it briefly, but the actual details weren’t pretty. He’d endured all of that because he’d wanted to please his father, to somehow make Gerard be proud of him. He hadn’t known it was futile until much later. And by then it was too late.

Chris didn’t know how to let someone else in, how to share pain. This was new and different and foreign for him. He always handled it on his own. Always. “I knew it would affect you, I just … that’s how I handle it, alone. I didn’t realize how hard… I didn’t mean to hurt you so badly. I’m sorry.”

Once the three unconscious wolves were tethered down, Stiles stepped back. He was surprised to see Derek smile, but that was the Alpha’s family on the table. Stiles was sure he would smile if the positions had been reversed. He pulled out his phone, to text Lydia, to update her but remembered there was no signal down here. “I’m just going to text Lydia…” He walked to the door.

Allison turned. “What about the Alphas?”

“I’m not going to leave the bunker. Just need a signal.” Stiles glanced at Isaac.

“What? After the whole leaving school incident I don’t think Scott will let you wander off.” Not that Isaac cared too much but if Scott got like he had before it wouldn’t help what they were trying to do.

Stiles turned to Scott. “Dude, you know I’ll be fine. Tell grouchy Jr to lay off.”

Peter growled. He stilled when Chris touched his neck, then whimpered, curling in on himself, clenching his hands. Peter pulled back, as much as he could with Chris gripping him and his fangs and claws vanished. He shook. He pulled free from Chris, plopping down on the pavement.

Peter just sat there, taking in everything from Chris. The wolf whimpered, he had hurt his mate again. He had lost control _again_. “You’re my anchor and the bond’s stronger on my end.” Peter shook his head. “I know what you’re like, always have. _I_ should have realized, shouldn’t have said anything…” He got up. He felt tears threatening to spill out and brushed them away. He felt so raw, he didn’t know what to do. Maybe it would be best if he left.

“Tell her thank you for me,” Derek nodded. He had his betas back and a family member he never thought he’d see again. He hoped Chris could handle Peter. Peter wouldn’t want to miss this.

“No,” Chris got to his feet, sides bleeding from where Peter’s claws had dug in. “I should have realized.” He knew what Peter was thinking too. He approached Peter and put a hand on his shoulder then moved it down to his clenched hands. He gently tried to pry one open and linked their hands together. “You’re not leaving. You’re going to come with me to see your niece. You want to be there when she wakes up, don’t you?” He knew his own blood was on Peter’s hands but he didn’t care.

There was pain but he could manage. It wasn’t too deep. “I forget sometimes I am. I mean that I’m your anchor as well as your mate.” Chris was glad he’d made the kids leave. He didn’t want them to see Peter like this. This was for him to deal with alone. He oddly felt a little better sharing what he had with Peter. “If it makes you feel any better, I feel better now.” He’d never had anyone he could do this with. It was new and different for him.  Well, he was in pain, but that was physical. It was the mental issues he was talking about.

Scott grinned at the nickname. That fit Isaac perfectly. “Isn’t Alexander up there? He can watch out for you. It’s alright, Isaac, thank you though.” Scott ended up helping the brothers since he had experience with Deaton.

One of the brothers nodded, he was.

Peter wouldn’t look at Chris as their fingers linked together. At the mention of Cora, his head shot up. “Of course.” But then he turned away from Chris again. “How can you forget that?” That was whispered because it hurt a little to think about. Peter humphed. “I hurt you.” He gazed at Chris. He knew Chris had done that on purpose. “I…appreciate that you made the children leave. They would have just gotten in the way.”

Peter still felt awful. He didn’t like attacking Chris, he didn’t like being out of control, he didn’t like the feeling of wanting to hurt Chris. He really did want time alone, even if it was just a few moments with Cora. “I need to think.” He felt a headache forming and groaned. He got up. “Let’s go.”

Stiles grinned as Isaac looked pissed. Isaac let him out though. Stiles went down the hall, watching and waiting for the signal to come back to his phone. Once it was stable he texted Lydia. **2 Alphas down. Duke got away. Argent’s dad not really dad? Derek says thanks. Everyone OK.**

“Hey, I’ll be fine.” Chris didn’t let him move very far away. He snaked his hand up quickly and cupped Peter’s cheek. “I _am_ sorry. I won’t forget again.” He touched his forehead briefly against his mate’s. He stroked the side of Peter’s head gently. “I hurt _you_. Maybe not physically but I did. Do you want to meet there instead of going together? You know where it is now. You can take the car, I’ll call Melissa and get this taken care of. If you need a little space from me, it’s okay.” He didn’t want to leave Peter when he was like this but he got the feeling he might have to.

Lydia responded: **Derek saying thank you? That’s a first. My head stopped hurting, but I still feel something’s wrong. Make sure you check them out.**

Alexander was lurking nearby, like a bad zombie movie he appeared somewhere behind Stiles and just watched him.

In the bunker, Derek looked over at Allison, then back at Cora. “I think we actually worked like a pack today.” He stroked his sister’s hair.  

Scott frowned at Erica, concerned. The black stuff in her veins was still visible. “We have to figure out what’s inside her.” He told the two brothers who nodded. “Do you have anything to test with here?” He asked Allison.

And yes, they did. They were prepared for testing on wolves.

Lydia: **Wait. What? What do you mean Argent’s dad not dad? Explain!**

Peter shivered. “You better not forget.” Peter flinched. It sounded worse once Chris said it out loud. “How are you going to get back?” The wolf leaned into the touch. Peter wanted to lick his mental wounds in private before making sure he could handle himself near Chris. “I won’t be long.” He pressed his nose to Chris’s neck. “Please don’t shut me out again.”

 **I know!** Stiles frowned at his phone. **Like what?** Stiles looked around for Alexander and saw him, and jumped. “Fucking werewolves!” He sighed. At least he knew he wasn’t alone even if that would have been terrifying in any other circumstance. **Don’t know. Duke said was Argent’s dad.**

“Better than in the past at least.” Allison turned to Scott. “Of course we do.” She started pulling and pushing machines around, gathering up regular equipment like needles.

“I won’t, I promise.” Chris nudged Peter’s chin up and kissed him softly. “I love you. Don’t worry about that, I’ll manage.”  He’d get a taxi if he had to. “And don’t scare the kids, I’ll text Allison to let her know where I am and to not to get mad at you.” He threaded his fingers through Peter’s hair and gently stroked him. “We need to work on our communication.” He gave a wry laugh. It was hard when they were both used to dealing with things by themselves. He understood Peter’s feelings for the most part because he could feel how off-centered he was. Luckily Melissa wouldn’t ask too many awkward questions and he would be fine if a bit scratched up. “You go, see your niece open her eyes.”

Alexander just gave Stiles a grim smile. He didn’t look pleased, but then again, it was possible he wasn’t the kind of werewolf who would ever look pleased. So, not looking mad or pissed off was probably a good thing.

Lydia typed back: **Ouch, poor Allison, How is she taking it? I don’t know, like there’s something hidden. Something eating them within. I felt like my skin was crawling.**

At the moment, nothing else was happening. Scott and the brothers started doing tests to see what they could figure out what was in Erica’s system. She seemed the worse off.

Peter nodded. “I’ll be fine. Just going to wait this out.” Whatever this was. Peter hummed. “Thanks. The last thing I need is your little huntress sticking me full of arrows.” Peter rolled his eyes. Peter let his fingers slide free from Chris’s and walked off to the car.

Stiles stared at Alexander for a second before turning back to his phone. “Creeping me out.” **Fine? hard 2 tell. brb I’ll tell the others.** Stiles walked back down the hall to the bunker. He paused seeing the stuff out, then shook his head. “Whatever. Lydia says something’s up. Something inside them?” He looked around at everyone.

Chris ran a hand through his hair as he watched Peter leave. He still felt like he had almost fucked up everything between them but he wasn’t going to project that. He carefully managed that emotion and slid it to the side. Given the situation they were bound to have issues, they’d sort it out eventually. He watched until Peter got into the car before taking his phone out and texting Allison. **“Peter’s coming on his own. I have to go to ER to see Melissa. Don’t panic, nothing serious. Look after Peter until I get there, he needs to see his niece, but he also needs support. Tell the pack to support him.”**

Alexander simply gave a slight snort, “I get that a lot.”

“We’re working on it,” Scott nodded. Boyd had already woken up briefly and apparently spat out mountain ash as there was black gunk on the floor. He was passed out cold again. Cora was sweating with a raised temperature and Erica was having trouble breathing. “Something mixed in with the mountain ash.”

Derek kept putting a damp cloth on Cora’s forehead, keeping her cool. He was clearly worried but they were safe now at least. Erica had woken up briefly screaming when Stiles was up being creeped out by Alexander so they had to sedate her. Cora was the only one who hadn’t woken up.

Peter sat in the car for a moment, just taking a deep breath. He could smell Chris and used that to center himself. They were testy with each other right now, but they’d get through it. Peter gripped the steering wheel hard, hearing it creak. Any harder and it would snap off. He closed his eyes and kept breathing, picturing Gerard’s angry face when he had shown the old man the ring. The ring! Peter’s eyes snapped open and he traced the ring on his finger. It was real, it was there. Chris still loved him. Peter felt much better and started the car, driving off to the bunker.

“Well that can’t be good.” Stiles made a face at the spewed mountain ash. “What would the Alphas gain from doing this to them?” Stiles turned to the door. Maybe Alexander knew. Stiles walked out.

Isaac rolled his eyes. “Maybe he should stay just out there. We can’t keep opening and closing the door every time he has an idea.”

Stiles went back to where Alexander had been. “What do you know about the Alphas? Why would they put mountain ash into Derek’s pack?” Stiles hoped he wouldn’t be creeped out again, he put on a brave face.

Allison’s phone beeped. She pulled it out. “Peter’s coming back, Dad’s not with him. I guess they got in a fight. Dad has to go to the hospital. He says Peter needs support from the pack.” She glanced up at Derek, then to Scott. She doubted her dad wanted the other wolves to hug Peter, and treating him gently would probably piss him off. “What do you need to do?”

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Alexander Argent is an Undead Werewolf who works with two witch brothers that keep him alive.  
> 2\. Chris' mother did something with his blood which hasn't been completely revealed. At this point his father could be either Deucalion or Alexander because of what his mother did.  
> 3\. Chris' mother had an affair with both Deucalion and Alexander to piss Gerard off because he was an asshole.  
> 4\. Chris' mother used magic.  
> 5\. There are scenes in several locations but we opted not to rp the battle scene.  
> 6\. Alexander believes he is Chris' father because Allison looks like his mother, however there is no guarantee.  
> 7\. Yes, we are opening this up to the possibility that Chris has werewolf blood.  
> 8\. Deucalion is absolutely certain Chris is his son.  
> 9\. We know it is AU. We are having fun with our RP.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A few things are happening in this chapter:.  
> I know it might seem a little bit difficult to follow due to it being rp but the major points are noted.  
> It gets cute and fluffy in this chapter.:) Honest.

Chris sighed as he watched the car drive off. He grunted in pain that he’d been holding back for the sake of not worrying Peter. The hospital was a ways off and he wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to make it there so he opted for walking.  It also gave him time to think and process what had just happened with the revelation about his father.  

Walking and bleeding wasn’t necessarily a great combination, however. The wounds weren’t deep but they were enough to be painful.  He’d stashed his weapons in the trunk of the car that Peter was driving, at least the most obvious ones anyway so he wasn’t entirely unarmed. So when the flashing lights and siren lightly beeped behind him he was relieved he’d remembered to do that. Just what he didn’t need.

Police.

Chris grimaced and stopped where he was to look at the Sheriff as he pulled up in the cruiser. He was glad he’d stashed his more visible weapons but he knew that if Noah looked closer he would see that he was bleeding.  He nodded, knowing the Sheriff would recognize him once he shone the light at him and he tried to look non-threatening. Unfortunately that really wasn’t one of his skills. “Can I help you?” He asked nonplussed.

Alexander was nearby but not where Stiles had left him. He did answer, however, from somewhere behind Stiles. “That would be to make certain narcotics work on them. It’s likely they were filled with drugs mixed with mountain ash so that Deucalion could control them.”

Scott simply glowered at Isaac, “Leave him alone!” He snapped. “Derek, I think there’s more than just mountain ash.” He smiled his thanks at Allison and started to use the equipment to figure out how to analyze what samples they had.

Derek looked over at Allison, still holding Cora’s hand. “It’s not a physical thing. It’s primal.” He looked over at Scott and Isaac, then back at Allison. “He needs you to lend him strength. All of us are connected, that is why the pack is stronger when we’re together. A wolf heals faster, moves faster, fights better and is emotionally stronger if the pack supports him as a whole. I will give Peter what I have to give, he could have killed Deucalion and become an Alpha again. He did not. He did that for your father, Allison. He needs us to just lend him our strength. He’s not used to it, he hasn’t had it since before the fire. He’ll know if you’re trying. It’s a pack thing, you can feel it. It works, even from humans, not as well, but humans are part of the pack.”

Noah got out and approached Chris, squinting, and lowered his flashlight. “Chris Argent? What are you doing out here?” Alone. Noah noticed Argent was bleeding. “Is everything alright?” There had been a call about a disturbance and possible property damage. He had checked it out and found blood but no bodies. Maybe some of that blood was Argent’s. “Where were you earlier this evening? And for that matter, where are you headed?” Noah wasn’t ready to jump to conclusions just yet. But things were getting stranger in this town and it wasn’t helping with his job. Not to mention whatever Stiles was up to.

Stiles turned around, to try and spot Alexander. “OK, is it going to kill them? Do we have to like pump their stomachs to get it out of them? Are they spewing this up because they’re in the bunker or just because Deucalion’s sort of on bed rest?” Not that Alexander would know that but it wouldn’t hurt to ask.

“Why? Just because he’s your supposed mate?” Isaac was still uncomfortable and the opening and closing of the door was stirring up the air. Stiles was starting to get on his nerves.

Allison helped Scott for a moment, sure he could figure most of the machines out considering his work with Deaton. She nodded. “I know about what it does for an Alpha.” She glanced at Derek. That meant she was part of the pack, part of Peter’s life. “Well he is going to marry my dad.” And Peter had been trying to help, before he fought her dad. “Is that what the bond does? Is that what my dad does every day with it?” She really hadn’t asked about the bond, only read what she could on it. She figured it was a touchy subject.

Peter drove, in control again, but he was still upset. He took the back streets where he could speed to get to the bunker. He parked the car and got out. He went to the entrance, climbed down the ladder and stopped. First there was Stiles but also Alexander. “What are you doing Stiles?” He assumed Alexander was keeping watch.

Chris nodded, “Yes.” This was the absolute last thing he needed. Normally he could have taken care of Noah pretty quickly but this was Stiles’ father and the Sherriff. Noah didn’t even know Chris knew Stiles. So he opted for a version of the truth. “I was walking and got attacked by a wild animal. Managed to get it off. That’s the blood you saw and now I’m on the way to the hospital.” He hoped the Sheriff didn’t realize he was armed and wouldn’t opt to pat him down for weapons. It would be difficult to explain everything he had on him. He of course had licenses, but Peter would be waiting for him. The unfortunate thing was that they had not yet brought Stilinski into the fold. He was sure it wouldn’t take much convincing but it was not his call to make.

“Yes,” Derek nodded. “For what it’s worth, I think it’s good for Peter.  He needs it, badly. It links them together mentally. They can feel each other’s emotions and sometimes share images and feelings. Sometimes in rare cases over great distances. They can communicate without words. It’s-,” He swallowed. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world when you have it, but when you don’t or if it gets ripped away from you, it hurts like hell. A pack does make the Alpha stronger. A pack bond is a link between the members of the pack, giving them the power to take care of one another, but not quite as strong a mating bond.”

Scott loved working with Allison like this but he still wasn’t certain about being in the pack. The brothers had identified one of the agents used with the mountain ash and were working on the other three. Scott worked on the counter to the mountain ash, a particular flower, with Allison. Isaac, however was getting on his last nerve. “He _is_ my Mate!” Scott snapped at Isaac, snarling fiercely as if he meant to forget exactly what he was doing and charge at Isaac.

“Stop _fighting_!” Derek commanded with a growl. When they didn’t pay attention to him he Alpha roared at both of them.

Scott covered his ears and hunched back. Unlike Isaac, Derek’s command didn’t affect him, not at first. He was strong, as strong as Derek, and it was clear that if he wanted to he could challenge Derek, but he looked at Allison and then Cora on the table as she was stirring. He backed down and lowered his eyes, giving Derek the win.

“Likely because they have not been given any doses recently.” Alexander nodded. “I believe they probably got given too much and he was using something to stabilize them. He probably just stopped giving them whatever they needed to dilute the mountain ash.” Alexander lifted his head just as Peter appeared, but then Derek roared.

Noah nodded slowly. “You managed to fight it off? With your bare hands?” He shifted his stance. “If I were out alone I would have my gun on me, just in case. Do you have anything on you? I understand if you have something for protection and had to use it.” Though the animal attack comment had him thinking. There had been too many mentions of animal attacks recently. “Do you know what it was?” He took a hard look at Chris. There was blood on his shoulders where he had been attacked from the front. But it didn’t go down the front. Noah frowned. “What exactly did it do?”

“I think it’s good for him too and my dad.” Allison nodded. “I’ve seen them do that. It was strange the first time.” She didn’t look at Derek, wondering if Gerard or if her father had taken mates away from anyone. She wouldn’t be surprised if Kate had. “Did you have a mate?” So that meant the mate bond was stronger, Allison would keep that in mind to tell her dad later.

“Doesn’t seem like it,” Isaac muttered. He flinched and turned, cowering against the door as Derek roared. Isaac shivered and turned back. “Sorry.”

Allison made a noise and covered her eyes. “Derek, I think she’s waking up.”

“Oh. This sounds totally gross and kind of glad we got them when we did.” Stiles at Peter. “Hey. Uh, talking with Alexander obviously.” He frowned as he heard Derek roar. “That doesn’t sound good.”

Peter sighed. “No it doesn’t.” He walked to the door and noticed it was open a little. He pushed it open and looked around. “What did I miss? And who upset my nephew?” He glanced at Scott. Peter walked in and the familiar scent of Chris overtook him. Peter smiled to himself.

“I have a gun,” Chris nodded. He had only left the more conspicuous weapons in the car. “And a permit for it.” He knew Noah was well aware of it given the incident at the school. “It got me by surprise, attacked me and pinned me down. I shot it and threw it off me. It ran. I don’t know which direction it went.” He very slowly opened his jacket with one hand while leaving the other in plain view to show the bleeding wounds where Peter’s claws had dug into him. Opening the jacket would show the gun in its holster. “Mountain lion of some kind.” He winced in pain. He knew he was going to need stitches.

“I did, she died. She was sick and needed the bite to live, but not everyone survives the bite.” Derek was satisfied when Isaac stopped baiting Scott and surprised when Scott backed down and didn’t exactly submit to him but he did not fight him. He gave Scott an approving nod and turned his attention to Cora when Allison noted she was waking up, “Cora!” He squeezed her hand gently. “You’re just in time,” He told Peter. “Scott and Isaac were fighting, Cora’s waking up. Come here. I want her to see both of us.”

Scott threw Isaac a furious look at his comment but went back to what he was doing under Derek’s approving nod. He looked up with a smile when it seemed like Cora was waking up. Then Peter entered. He wasn’t sure what to do. The man made his life miserable by making him a wolf. Scott wasn’t sure if it was possible to be so redeemed but Allison seemed to think he was good for her father. And if Allison believed it? Scott sighed inwardly. He would have to try. He looked down at the floor then back up at Peter. He grimaced slightly but he did try. He reached out with his strength, unsure of how this was supposed to work but he’d never opened himself up to Peter before.

Cora’s eyes fluttered open and she looked around in confusion. Her face was pale and drawn. She looked terrified when she saw all the weapons and people she didn’t recognize.

“Cora?” Derek dared to hope she would recognize at least Peter. He knew he looked different.

Noah nodded. “Alright. I just had to ask. Let’s get you to the hospital.” He went back to his car and opened the passenger door for Chris. He’d worry about the blood later. He kept the sirens on and drove to the hospital. “Does Allison know where you are?” Noah was willing to call her, he didn’t want her out and about if there was a chance of her being attacked too.

“Oh. That’s terrible.” Allison turned as Peter came in. Allison put a hand on Scott’s shoulder. She could see how angry he was at Isaac. “He’s not worth it right now. You guys can fight later.” She wasn’t sure how exactly Peter would get the feeling she was conveying but just thought of strength and her dad.

Isaac didn’t want to do this. But he’d try, it’d make Derek happy. Isaac reached out with strength and hoped Peter could feel it.

“Stay here,” Stiles told Alexander then shook his head. “You know what I mean, you probably will anyway.” He followed Peter back into the bunker. “How’s it going?”

Peter rolled his eyes. “I’m not surprised.” He felt Scott and Isaac and even Allison trying to support him. He felt stronger and hummed. He hadn’t felt something like this for a long time. But he couldn’t dwell on it. He walked over next to Derek and took Cora’s hand. “Cora, it’s Peter. You’re alright.”

Chris nodded, “I sent her a text, thank you.” He wasn’t used to accepting help from people but Noah was different. He’d have a talk with Stiles later about how to bring the Sheriff in. He was open to it, Chris was sure. He’d seen it every now and then in Stilinski’s eyes. He’d noticed things he didn’t want to see. The ride to the hospital didn’t take too long. He thought about Peter, a little worried about what their next encounter would be like. He felt awfully tired for some reason.

It didn’t take long for Chris and Noah to get to the hospital. He hoped that Noah wouldn’t ask any more questions. It was really up to Stiles to bring his father in. He looked relieved when Melissa greeted them at the emergency exit. “I got a text from someone called Alexander to expect you?” She looked confused but had been waiting for him and didn’t expect to see Noah. She quickly helped to organize Chris’ treatment.

Scott reached over to take Allison’s hand and squeezed it gently. She wasn’t his girlfriend any longer but they were friends, he could take comfort from that.  He kept trying to help Peter.  He smiled when he saw Stiles and ignored Isaac. “I think I’ve got something that will help Erica. We have to inject them all with this, it’ll counteract the mountain ash and keep diluting it until we get it out of their system, I don’t know what else to do about the other drugs.”

Derek put a hand on Cora’s shoulder, “Hey, hey it’s me Derek.”  He looked at Peter and looked back at Cora. “You’re with family, you’re okay.” His heart thudded in his chest he was so overwhelmed with emotion.

“Uncle P-Peter?” Cora stared at Peter wide eyed with emotion. She started to whimper then cry as she weakly flung herself into his arms and hugged him tightly. “Derek? I thought you were dead.” She started coughing black goop, like Erica. She reached out for Derek as she clung to her uncle.

The brothers had already taken the injections Scott had made and were working on Boyd and Erica first while Scott prepared one for Cora.

“Alright.” Noah walked Chris into the hospital. “Who’s Alexander? How did he know you were hurt?” Noah didn’t get to ask any more questions as Melissa took Chris right in. While he was here, Noah checked on the victims of the bus crash. There wasn’t anything else he could do, he’d go back to work soon and finish the paperwork before heading home.

Allison nodded. “Let’s give it to them. The faster this gets out of their system, the faster they can heal and tell us what happened. At least the mountain ash will be out of them, that’s the worst thing right now.”

Peter nodded. He wrapped his arms around Cora. “What-?” Peter looked at the unconscious wolves. “What did I miss?” He wasn’t going to voice how he had thought Cora was dead, best to leave that.

“You missed a lot.” Stiles kept back from the others as they worked. “They’ve been drugged with mountain ash and some other stuff to control them. I think they’re throwing it up because they’re out of the Alphas’ control, they never got another dose of whatever it was that was making them attack dogs.” He turned and glanced at the bed. He knew it was there since having seen it earlier. He walked over to look at it.

Melissa gave Noah a supportive smile. He always worked so hard. 

“He has to be brought in sometime, you have to convince Stiles to talk to his father.” Melissa told Chris as she worked on him once Noah left.  “And you might consider less… vigorous activities. You’re going to have more scars.”

“I’ll tell him,” Chris nodded. He doubted Peter would want a docile partner but he wasn’t going to tell Melissa that. He was glad Noah had not arrested him as he originally feared. The last thing he needed was Peter to have to come get him from jail. That is, if Peter wanted to see him again any time soon. He wasn’t really sure and his subconscious reached out for the wolf. “They’re not on purpose.”

While Stiles explored where he shouldn’t behind the divider, Scott and Allison helped to give the wolves the antidote to the mountain ash. He kind of liked working as a team with Allison again and smiled at her. Out of the corner of his eye he saw what Stiles was doing. “I don’t’ think you’re supposed to go back there, Stiles.”

Derek looked at Peter and Cora and stroked his sister’s hair while she threw up. They were family, both of them, two people he thought lost forever. He was overcome with emotion, trying hard to keep it all in.  He had no words.  Peter had come back to them and Cora, Cora was alive. His family.

Stiles flinched as Scott called to him. Ruining his fun. Stiles turned back to the others.

“Stiles, if you’re so curious you only had to ask.” Peter smirked at the boy. He kept an arm around Cora.

Stiles gaped. “But-you never answer when I ask.”

“That’s when you ask about information you’re not in a position to know about.” Peter was being vague to spare Cora information overload. “And you peeked earlier, what else is there to see?”

Stiles blushed. “Nothing I guess,” he mumbled and walked back over.

Isaac snorted.

Stiles glanced at him. “You keep out of this.”

Allison sighed. “Would you two please stop?” She smiled at Scott. “We need to make sure they’re taken care of before you two having a slap fight or whatever it is you’re going to do to resolve this…tension.”

Peter scoffed. “That’s too simple. They could always kiss.” He smirked as both Stiles and Isaac looked horrified by the thought.

Cora gazed up at Peter, trying to process that he was alive and Derek was alive. “Where are we, what’s going on?” She tried asking as she shrank away a little from the needle. “Who are these people?”

“It’s going to be alright,” Scott promised her as he encouraged Derek and Peter to hold out her arm.  He kept Stiles in his peripheral vision but his boyfriend had no concept of stay in one place.

Derek nodded, “You can trust him. This is Scott. It’s a long story, Cora. They’re pack. My pack. I’m the Alpha now. You’re safe, tell her Peter, she’s always trusted you.”

Erica reached out to grip Stiles’ arm when she woke and held him fast. “Stiles? Isaac?”  The black in her veins was receding after one of the brothers injected her.

Boyd was also awake after the shot and looked rather surprised to see Allison standing over him. It looked like everyone was in fact, waking up. The brothers left to let the pack sort things out.

In the hospital Chris groaned slightly as Melissa finished the stitching. “Thank you,” he told her. “I should…” he started to get up again but she pushed him back down.

“You should rest,” Melissa told him. “I don’t know what you’ve been doing but your body is clearly not used to it. It won’t kill you to close your eyes for a couple of hours. If you start moving again those stitches are going to snap.”

“Too much going on,” protested Chris. “I’m needed, I have to get to my daughter.” He wasn’t really. The pack had it under control. Peter didn’t need him right now, he would have felt a response otherwise. The hospital was too vulnerable. He couldn’t sleep here.

“If you move, I’m going to give you a sedative. I’ll call her and give her an update.” Melissa told him sharply. He had refused anesthesia at first but she had given him some anyway. She fluffed a pillow under his head.

Chris closed his eyes. He’d just close his eyes for a few minutes. He wouldn’t fall asleep completely, he’d just take a few minutes.

Melissa couldn’t get through on the cellphone but she did text Allison: **Your father’s asleep, he needs rest. He’s exhausted, he has clearly has been pushing himself. I gave him twelve stitches just now and he tried to move. I’ll keep an eye on him.**

“Like Derek said, it’s a long story. Yes, you’re safe. I don’t know what happened to you, but we rescued you from a pack of Alphas. Hold still. This will help.” Peter talked to Cora and watched Scott give her the mixture.

“Oh! Hey!” Stiles turned to Erica. “Yeah, you feeling OK? What do you remember?”

Allison smiled at Boyd and undid his restraints. Her phone buzzed. She pulled it out and read the texts. **OK thanks. Yeah we took on some Alphas**. She turned to Scott. “Your mom’s keeping my dad, gave him stitches and wants him to rest. She thinks he’s outdone himself.”

Peter snorted. “That’s likely. Though you and I know he won’t stay in the hospital if he can help it.”

“What did you do to him anyway?” Isaac asked, wandering over to Erica.

Peter’s eyes narrowed. “None of your business. Chris is fine though and so am I.” There was no way he was going to tell the kids he lost control, not with Allison in the room. She would be pissed that he hurt her dad.

“Peter’s right, it doesn’t matter.” Allison had a feeling Peter and her dad fought considering the way Peter had looked when they left. “And if you do care, use your imagination. All they did was fight.”

Peter smiled at Allison. He turned to Cora. “Do you need anything?” He could get food and of course blankets. The convenience of a bunker.

“Who do you mean, Chris? Who’s Chris?” Cora swallowed. Derek got her some water and she shook her head at Peter. “Not really, just thirsty.” She was a strong girl, she’d made it out of a fire on her own, after all. There were bunk beds of course in the bunker. The wolves could rest if they needed. She nodded, long story. Okay. She just needed to focus. “Thank you. I don’t remember much. The last thing I remember is being on a horse ranch in Arizona where I was hiding.”

Derek looked over at Peter.  “Do you want to go to him? I don’t feel comfortable with him at the hospital. Not when he’s a target.  Or do you want me to send someone else? Chris is Peter’s fiancé,” he told Cora. “I’m glad you got away.

Cora stared at Peter in wide-eyed amazement.

Scott nodded, “He’ll be okay.” He put a hand on Allison’s shoulder and tried hard to ignore Isaac. He was focused on both Erica and Boyd and keeping track of Stiles.

“I have the worst headache,” Erica moaned softly. “Boyd?” She looked towards Vernon who seemed to be in a similar situation. “Stiles?” She yanked Stiles closer, something she had a tendency to do.  “Isaac!” She smiled when she saw him, abruptly let go of Stiles and reached for Isaac. “Isaac, what is Allison Argent doing here? Where are we?!?”

Boyd rubbed his wrists and cricked his neck. He looked a little disoriented but better than the other two. “Thank you,” he told Allison quietly and looked at Stiles and Allison. “I remember being attacked. I remember being weakened, they didn’t ask us any questions.” He looked happy when he saw Erica was better. “I remember Cora was dying. Is she?” He looked over and was relieved to see Cora awake. “He doesn’t want Derek. He wants Chris and Scott. I remember him talking about the legend about a powerful Alpha born into the Argent line. That’s what he’s after. He also wants the potential True Alpha and his maker.” He looked at Scott and then back to Peter. “That will complete his Alpha Pack. He grabbed us as leverage.”

It was probably the most Boyd had ever said to the pack.

“Argent?” Cora paled.

“What are you talking about True Alpha?” Scott stared. “I’m not an Alpha. Derek is.”

Peter let go of Cora. He wanted to ask how she got there, but figured there’d be time for her to talk with him and Derek later. “I’m so glad you’re alright too.” He glanced at Derek. “He’s capable of taking care of himself but if Melissa did put him out…No I should go. We need to talk as it is.”

“Yes, hi.” Stiles glanced at Scott like ‘what is with her?’ He hoped it was just an effect of the drugs. Stiles smirked. “Well Isaac, tell her.”

“We’re in the Argent’s bunker. But you’re safe. Allison helped get you guys here.” Isaac rolled his eyes at Stiles.

“But my dad isn’t a werewolf.” Allison wasn’t sure any more about that though. “And my dad would rather die than join Deucalion. Maker?” She turned to Peter. “Just because Peter bit Scott doesn’t mean he has the power to keep doing that…”

Peter put a hand on Cora’s shoulder. “Yes. But she’s friends with Scott. She won’t hurt you. And neither will her father. He’s my fiancé.” Perhaps it was best to get that out now before something bad happened.

“Yeah, what Scott said. And it’s not like Peter can make more True Alphas, whatever that is. Unless it’s like a-?” Stiles stopped talking when Allison glared at him.

“Peter, please go check on my dad. We’re fine here.” Allison just wanted everyone to rest. They could stay here and it was late. Derek could keep Cora safe if she still felt uncomfortable. Allison wasn’t going to worry about Alexander or the brothers. She figured they would do their own thing.

Cora just looked confused and let Derek draw her into a hug and hold her there with her head buried against his chest. She cried softly in his arms, just overcome with emotion. “It’s okay, Uncle Peter.” She reassured Peter. “I’m okay. Go to your fiancé.”

Derek nodded at Peter. He sighed, “Thank you Boyd, for the info. We all could use some time out we’ll analyze it later. Let’s get back to the loft, rest up and regroup tomorrow after school. Stiles, you should probably get home before your dad catches you not being there. Scott, take Stiles home. Allison, go check on Lydia.  Isaac, help me get Boyd, Erica and Cora to the loft. Peter, go make sure Chris is safe at home.” He ran his hands over his face. “We’ll figure all this out after we take a minute.” He only just noticed the brothers had left and grimaced. “As for Alexander and his friends? I don’t know. They can stay here, can’t they Allison?”

Erica and Boyd seemed to be happy with that answer and new direction. They relaxed. Erica just attached herself to Isaac, since he wasn’t doing anything.

Scott grumbled a bit about being ordered around but he did wait until everyone else had filed out to help Allison sort things back to normal in the bunker with Stiles’ help.

Meanwhile at the hospital, Chris had not just closed his eyes for a few minutes. He was asleep. Melissa checked in on him briefly after texting Allison back his status. He looked very peaceful in his sleep, like the weight of the world was no longer on his shoulders. She smiled, pleased he’d come to the hospital to get treatment and trusted her enough for that.

Peter nodded. “Stay with Derek.” He walked towards the door and grinned. “I’ll do more than that.” He left to get back to the car.

Stiles snorted then ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah…”

Allison nodded. “I think so. My dad seems to trust Alexander. They’ll have to be locked in for the night, but we can get them out later.”

Isaac went to open the door, letting Erica cling to him.

Stiles chuckled. “Have fun Isaac!” Once the door shut, he helped Scott put the machines back and leave a note of how much stuff was used. But then he wandered back over to the bed and pulled the tarp off.

“Stiles!” Allison whirled around.

“Oh come on, tell me you didn’t want to know what they were doing?” He held the edge of the tarp in his hands.

“We’re going to have to put it back. It’s private.” She turned to him, hands on her hips.

“You know, you look like Lydia when you do that.” Stiles jumped onto the bed. “Scott! Come here! I think it’s memory foam!”

“We have to let Alexander and the brothers stay here, we shouldn’t make them wait.” Allison sighed.

Scott flailed his arms, “Stiles, Allison is right. We have to go, hey get off the bed! And I don’t want to… wait… Allison…isn’t that a St Andrew’s cross?” His mouth opened and shut. They now knew far more about her dad and Peter than he really wanted to know ever.  The cross had cuffs that had been used. He didn’t even want to know what was inside the chests and drawers of the cabinets. Then he saw Stiles spread out on the bed and he swallowed. Stiles was going to get covered in someone else’s scent.

Scott approached the bed to humor Stiles and pressed a hand on it. “Ah, yeah. Memory foam. Can we go now?” He glanced at Allison. “Stiles!” he implored his Mate, groaning sharply. Standing between Allison and Stiles wasn’t helping his wolf’s hormones at all. Especially with the strong scents in this area of the room. “Help me get him off.” Scott paused, “I mean… off the bed!”

At the hospital, Chris opened his eyes briefly, he wasn’t sure how long he’d been asleep but the room was dark. He was comfortable and his body felt slightly sluggish. Perhaps Melissa had decided to do what she’d threatened after all, give him a sedative. He closed his eyes again and yawned. Not sure what had woken him up. He blinked, trying to focus on the dark room. “Who’s there?” He was pretty sure someone was.

Stiles sat up. “Oh yeah it is. Kinky.” He smiled. He wiggled on the bed. He knew his scent would be here now. He just wanted to mess with Peter a little. “Yeah Scott?” Stiles laughed. “You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

Allison didn’t want to think about what the cross was for but approached it anyway. It was hard to tell who had been in it. She doubted Peter or her dad would wanted to have drawn blood. She took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of Peter’s cologne. “Peter was in this.” She didn’t want to know anything else about it. Allison turned to Stiles. “I can just get him with a tranquilizer dart if he doesn’t move.”

Stiles’ eyes widened. “You wouldn’t!” He glanced at Scott. “Right?”

“Just me.” Peter moved to the side of the bed. “I didn’t want Melissa to find me. It’s after visiting.” Peter gazed down at Chris, one hand going to rest over the stitches. Peter grunted as some pain was drained into his body. “Cora’s fine. They’re all fine.” He was still processing that part of his family was back. “I’m sorry about hurting you.” He caressed Chris’s face.

 “Ugh, thanks for that image.” Scott made a face at Allison. He folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not flustered!” He completely was. He was starting to blush and he was starting to get uncomfortably aroused. He was just glad neither of them were wolves. Unfortunately, Allison would know his tells and Stiles, well, the mate bond would react. “Fuck.”  He sighed. “Stiles, please, not in front of Allison…” he implored.

Chris sighed in some relief. He felt a bit naked, lying in the hospital bed without weapons. He reached up to catch Peter’s hand and link their fingers. “I know you didn’t mean it, and I’m fine Peter. I’ve had a lot worse.” He’d been saying that quite a bit lately. He relaxed a little as the pain lessened. He looked relieved to hear she was okay.  “I’m happy for you, Peter.” He smiled a little. He still looked tired, but he struggled to sit up. “Did she remember you both?”

 “Sorry. I didn’t want to think about it either. It would have been worse if it was my dad.” Allison walked back over to the weapons. She made it obvious she was getting the tranquilizers.

“OK! OK!” Stiles got up and took hold of Scott’s shoulders. “I’m just messing with you.” He smiled. “Besides I wouldn’t make it _that_ awkward for you. And we can make out in the Jeep again.” He took hold of Scott’s hand and went to leave.

“Put it all back first.” Allison crossed her arms over her chest. “Then I have to let Alexander and the brothers in.”

“I am well aware, but I don’t want to hurt you. I couldn’t help it. I couldn’t stop myself.” Peter frowned. “I don’t want to be like that again.” Peter blinked, willing those thoughts away. “She recognized me. She hasn’t seen Derek since the fire. She thought he was dead. She knows we’re to be married though as Derek told her, along with you and Allison being Argents. A wonderfully complicated situation now…” He shook his head.

Scott pulled Stiles against him and nuzzled his neck. “Idiot.” He was happy. They had rescued Cora, Boyd and Erica. He wasn’t really sure what all that true Alpha stuff meant but he had his friends. Everyone was safe for now. He was okay with Derek being in charge for the first time. And he was also grudgingly supportive of Peter. He wouldn’t let them leave until they fixed everything again and pulled the tarp back over the bed. “Thanks, Allison.” He grinned at her. “Tell Lydia I hope she feels better.” He went outside with Allison to help her get Alexander and the brothers and get them secure in the bunker for the night. Then they went their separate ways. “I don’t know if we have time to make out.” He told Stiles woefully. “We should drive home before your dad calls out an APB.” He didn’t really want to sleep alone and he didn’t want to let go of Stiles.

“Hey, hey.” Chris stroked Peter’s hand gently, trying to get him to think of other things. “That’s a good thing, Peter. For Cora, Derek and you. I don’t want to do what I did again either. I fucked up badly, and I’m sorry. I know it’s complicated.” He fingered Peter’s ring. “I know I really hurt you.” He grunted slightly, still a little achy. “I don’t even know how to process what happened tonight or how I feel about it. I want to make one thing clear though, if for some reason he might be my father, and if I have wolf blood, so be it.” He exhaled and tried not to look pained by the idea but it was too hard to hold back. He’d promised Peter he wouldn’t shut any of that out again. It hurt him to the very core, the fact that Gerard had done what he’d done.  He smiled a little at Peter. “I don’t want to make you feel like that again. Disconnected from me, don’t let me do that again.”

 “You know you love me and you don’t mean that.” Stiles sighed. “Fine.” He helped fix everything. “But you can’t get rid of my scent.”

Allison rolled her eyes. “Just go before I tell Peter what you did.”

“Yep!” Stiles walked off to the exit.

Allison nodded at Scott. “I’ll do that and thanks for helping and everything today.” She shut Alexander and the brothers in for the night and left with Scott and Stiles. “My car’s still at school. Mind if get a ride home? I’ll come to school with Lydia tomorrow.”

“Uh. Yeah, sure.” Stiles fiddled with his keys as he got in the Jeep. He glanced at Scott. “Pretty sure I’m going to hear from my dad anyway, why don’t you just stay the night? Your mom won’t mind right?”

“Yes, I have a bit of my family back.” Peter smiled softly. “You would make a great wolf. And it gives us more incentive to get rid of Gerard. For lying to you, for hurting you…” Peter growled softly at the thought. He snapped out of it when Chris kept talking. “Oh you’ll know if you do it again. No sex for a week.” He chuckled. “Did you really walk all the way here? From what Allison said you seemed to have gotten here pretty fast. Who helped you?”

 “It was nice to work with you again today,” Scott smiled at Allison. He liked that they could still be friends. They would make sure she got home okay.

“I’m not sure,” Scott admitted to Stiles. He could never tell when it came to his mom if she was going to be cool or not with something. Generally she was. He refrained from being too handsy with Stiles while they took Allison home. “I’d like to,” he said shyly as he gazed at Stiles. He knew what he wanted of course and what Stiles wanted but this wasn’t exactly an ideal romantic moment. He wasn’t sure if he could hold back the wolf any longer though. “You know what will happen if I stay over, right?” 

Chris’s expression wasn’t entirely thrilled at the wolf compliment but he knew Peter meant well so he accepted it for what it was. “He’s harmless right now but I will deal with him. I didn’t, Noah Stilinski found me. I sold him a story but I think he’s getting suspicious. We need to convince Stiles to bring him in at some point before he gets himself killed.  Are you sure YOU could handle no sex for a week? You had trouble after a few days.” Chris grinned at Peter. He hated feeling sluggish, he knew Melissa had meant well though. She was right, he needed the rest. “I’m not sure when what she gave me will wear off.” He yawned. “God damnit, this bed is too small. Come here, anyway.” He opened up an arm and tried to shift to the side a bit. Unfortunately there wasn’t any way both of them were going to fit. He sighed and scowled in annoyance. “Damn.”

Allison nodded. “Yeah. Maybe this will help everyone work together better.”

After they dropped Allison off, Stiles headed home. He was sitting in the driveway. He turned to Scott. “Are you going to bite me again? I would like to know what I’m getting into. Because I’m so down for anything and everything else.” He took hold of Scott’s hand. “Am I going to have to warn my dad that we’ll be having sex?”

Peter snorted. “Gerard has never been harmless. I think that’s for the best. If I went back he’d likely be dead.” Peter chuckled. “That should be interesting, but why tell him when I can just show him? You’d have to make sure he doesn’t pull his gun on me though.” Peter sighed and shook his head. Chris knew him too well. “Maybe not. But you’d regret blocking me out, that was my point.” Peter arched an eyebrow but got on the bed. “Here.” He turned Chris on his side and slid in behind him. “How’s that?”

Once Allison was gone, Scott had no more distractions. He looked down at Stiles’ hand on his and he swallowed. Sex with Stiles? If he only knew how long Scott had fantasized about that. How many dreams before Allison came along had been about Stiles. How much Scott had tried to tell himself it was nothing, it was just a fantasy. He’d gotten used to Stiles’ scent, to knowing when his friend was aroused even before he was a wolf. He had no more excuses. Stiles was standing right in front of him. Scott took a step forward and pressed himself against Stiles then captured his lips. He growled low in his throat and pushed him up against the front door. “Yes,” he murmured against Stiles’ neck.

Chris grunted faintly. “I’ll deal with Gerard.” He shifted as Peter moved. “I’m sure it’s against hospital regulations,” he laughed softly, “but I’m better, yeah.” He leaned back in Peter’s arms, unable to really do much else but as long as the wolf was there he felt safe. “Peter?” He looked back at his fiancé fondly. “You are moving in, right?” He asked as he yawned. Regulations be damned, this was probably the only way he was actually staying in this bed unless Melissa upped the sedative dosage. This was where he fit best, against Peter’s chest.

While Scott was thinking about it, Stiles let go of his hand and got out of the Jeep. “You know what? Forget I said any-” Stiles had assumed Scott didn’t want to do anything but made a surprised sound as Scott kissed him and his back hit the cool door. Stiles smiled. “Awesome, because you have no idea how many times I’ve thought about it. It’s a lot, like seriously a lot.” He played with the zipper on Scott’s jacket. “It’s kind of funny-actually I don’t know if it is, but it’s something and I was thinking about Lydia. How I used to have a crush on her, but I-I can’t explain it. It vanished and I don’t know if it’s because of the werewolf thing or what but-”

Stiles yelped as the door was pulled open and he tried not to fall backwards, he clung to Scott.

Noah looked at Scott, then Stiles. “Stiles, it’s late. What took you so long?”

“It’s not that late.” Stiles let go of Scott to check his phone.

“It’s dark, that’s late enough. I got home before you did. That’s definitely late.” Noah glanced at Scott again. “You weren’t having sex were you?”

“Good.” Peter chuckled. “I’ve never been a stickler for rules.” Peter met Chris’s gaze. “Yes?” Peter nuzzled Chris. “Of course. Though you might have to run that by Allison. Just because you and I will be married doesn’t mean we have to live together. Though I would like to.” He wanted to be closer to his mate. It was awful waking up each morning in his apartment and knowing Chris wasn’t there. “Are you going to sleep like this?” Peter wouldn’t leave Chris’s side unless he said so. Besides Peter could drain any lingering pain. There was no reason for him to leave.

Scott swallowed in the back of his throat when Noah interrupted them. He held Stiles in his arms to keep him steady. “No, but um.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I was kissing him goodnight?” He gave Noah his signature puppy-dog look. “It is late, and I don’t have a way to get home. I’d have to walk, or Stiles would have to drive me. Can I please stay here tonight?” He didn’t want to go home, not with things the way they were. He held Stiles’ hand in his.

“I need you with me,” Chris nodded. “Yes, I want you to stay with me and yes you’ll live with us.”  He was tired of worrying about it. He just wanted them to be a family. He knew he was rushing it and there would be consequences but he couldn’t seem to bring himself to care anymore tonight. “I love you.” He reached back to scratch the side of Peter’s head briefly and closed his eyes.

 “Uh huh.” Noah nodded. “You don’t have a way to get home from helping Lydia?” Noah sighed. He glanced at Stiles.

Stiles gave a wavering smile, silently hoping his dad would let Scott stay.

“Alright. Just make sure you both get to school tomorrow.” Noah walked away.

Stiles beamed and called, “Thanks dad! You won’t regret it.” He turned to Scott. “Right? Because I’m not going to regret it.” He kissed Scott. Then he pulled back. “I’m so excited…wait, let me clean my room a little…” He ran inside. “Close the door!” He took the stairs two at a time.

Peter chuckled. “You sound very final on it. I need you with me too.” Peter purred. “I love you too.” Peter settled and listened to Chris’s heartbeat slow as he went to sleep. Peter closed his eyes and eventually fell asleep too.

Chris rested quite easily in the hospital. The pair of them slept the entire rest of the night though Chris did have a nightmare. He didn’t wake up during it though he did move a bit too much which caused Peter to stir briefly. He settled after a while and went back to sleep. He didn’t have nightmares that often, only when he had to deal with his father.  When Melissa came by to check on Chris she saw Peter sleeping with him and just made sure the window shutters were closed to give them some privacy. She marked a check in time for the doctor a bit later that morning so Chris could sleep as long as possible.

“Stiles, I’ve seen your room nearly every day for-” Scott protested weakly, too late. Stiles was already upstairs. “Good grief.”  He headed after Stiles. “There’s no need, really. I know what your boxers look like, Stiles, just like I know you drool in your sleep and everything else.” The problems of dating one’s best friend.  He proceeded to show Stiles some things he did not know about, however.

**TBC**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Chris goes to the hospital to get patched up by Melissa. On the way he encounters Noah.  
> 2\. The pack gets Cora, Isaac, Boyd and Erica healed.  
> 3\. Cora and Peter have a sweet reunion.  
> 4\. The teenagers investigate Chris&Peter's forbidden area at the Bunker.  
> 5\. Peter goes to the hospital to be with Chris.


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot happens in this chapter, sorry if it seems a bit difficult to read. It's RP.  
> We jumped over a bit because we didn't want to rp out all the combat.

A week had passed. It had been uneventful. Only in the regards of supernatural forces. There had been no news of Deucalion. Alexander had gone to track him down. Apparently Chris had a conversation with Alexander, though Peter didn’t really ask about it. That wasn’t his business.

Chris had left the hospital and healed, even though Peter kept a closer eye on Chris. Peter wanted to make sure Chris healed and nothing hurt him while that happened. He was being slightly overprotective. He blamed it on moving in with Chris. The wolf wanted to nest and a hurt mate with Allison around as well just put Peter through anxiety.

He hadn’t moved in completely, but it was almost finished. It was difficult to put some things away that wouldn’t belong in Chris’s apartment. Maybe the worry from the move and trying to protect Chris was why it was easy for the hunters to get the drop on Peter.

When Peter awoke, he was in chains and a jolt of electricity made him grind his teeth. There was just one guy manning the box. Peter trembled and wanted to snarl, but any rising threat was cut off as the electricity was turned up slightly. Peter swallowed and tried not to jerk in his chains. He didn’t even know what these hunters wanted. “You really have to work on listing your demands. I can’t read minds.”

Chris had been busy that week as well, getting himself healed up and he had to admit Peter had been being a bit overprotective and a little too gentle for Chris’s nerves. He didn’t say anything though. He knew the wolf was worried about hurting him again and he couldn’t blame him for that. They’d have a talk some other time when everything was settled. He had spoken briefly with Alexander who was on Deucalion’s trail and would keep in touch. He wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about the fact that Alexander was probably his father. They didn’t know what his mother did to his blood and that could have resulted in Allison’s resemblance to his grandmother. He knew he was a hunter. He knew he was an Argent one way or the other and that was all he wanted to deal with right now. He wanted to get his father to back off Peter. That was happening, and there wasn’t anything Gerard could do to stop it.  He just wanted him to stop trying to ruin their lives.

The conversation had not gone well at first. Gerard was getting more than a little out of control and hinted to having a way of fixing his sickness and someone who might know how to help him. Chris had tried, he’d really tried to talk to the man. He’d forced down years of torment and verbal abuse. Years of trying to please someone even though it was ultimately impossible were taking their toll. In the end it came down to a bargain. There was a particular flower that Chris could get, Gerard knew the location of but he’d have to break in to steal it. If Chris was willing to help Gerard get cured, then all would be forgiven. The price would come off Peter’s head. But the problem with that was Gerard would be a Werewolf and a deadly one. Chris didn’t agree right away and that caused the man to fly into another of his aggressive rages until Chris finally promised him that he would consider it.

The long exhausting discussion took a day to handle. Gerard was forthcoming with information after Chris managed to talk him down but he did say that it wasn’t just him who would be after Peter now. The word was out. He talked about La Bet, about the Argent curse to love the werewolves they hunted, and all sorts of history Chris never knew about. He made Chris promise not to leave him out of the loop and Chris eventually left there feeling so drained he hadn’t realized how long he’d been there. He packed up and checked in. Of course he’d been regularly calling and making sure that Allison and Peter knew where he was but he hadn’t heard from Peter since the morning. He was supposed to be finishing moving in today so he gave Allison another call. “I’m done here,” he got voicemail. “I think Gerard has been managed, made a deal with him. It’s not perfect, but it’s what we have. He’s still family, even if he isn’t my father. I’m coming home, call me. I haven’t heard from Peter. I hope you guys aren’t planning a surprise party because honestly, I just want my bed.”

The man just laughed, he had a Mexican accent and looked decidedly threatening as far as hunters go. “Boss is preparing something for you. I’m just having a little fun first.” He wandered over with a dagger laced with wolfs bane. “I hear you’ve been tamed.” He cut down Peter’s forearm, leaving a nice open wound. “That’s gotta sting.”

Allison had let Lydia come over. It was stupid and they both knew it, but she didn’t care. They had very little time to be girlfriends. Which was a word that was rattling around in Allison’s head. It was so different from boyfriend for some reason. Her phone wasn’t on her when it rang the first time. Allison detangled herself from Lydia. “So much for making out…” She got up and grabbed her phone, listening to the voicemail. “Have you seen Peter around today?” It was odd that he wasn’t already here at the apartment. She called her dad back, standing in her room in her underwear with Lydia on her bed.

“Great.” Just what he needed, a barely committal hunter and a boss cooking up a ‘surprise’. None of this was going to end well. Peter hissed, grinding his teeth as he bled. “Now where did you hear that?” Did Gerard tell someone? The old man still had a phone, if he knew other hunters’ phone numbers…Peter tried not to glance at the ring on his finger. “Why do you care?” He wiggled in the chains, if he could give one good tug, they’d snap.

Lydia huffed, “No. He’s probably at the nearest salon.” She didn’t seem all that concerned. Peter was a werewolf, after all, could take care of himself. She was more interested in watching Allison wander around in her underwear. “Your dad is probably overreacting.” She pulled out her own phone and fluffed her hair. She had a very lacy outfit on herself that only barely covered essential areas. Still, Allison’s look of concern made her sigh.  “I’ll call Peter, you try Stiles.” She dialed.

In the distance a phone rang. It was coming from the living room where some of Peter’s boxes were, and Lydia scowled at the ring tone. “Really,” she huffed.

Killer Queen was playing.

“The Argents are legends and you are and always will be a worthless monster. The only reason we haven’t is that you’re worth more if we make you suffer.” The man cackled. “The Argent will soon come back into the fold, he’s a soldier. La Calavera will put him back on the path when she gets here. She’s very eager to meet you. Your days are numbered and I for one think it should be hours instead. If you have any last words, I suspect you may wish to think about that.  We do not know what spell you put on him but La Calavera will break it. That is what she does. That is why himself called her.” He played a little with the blade in the already bleeding wound.

Chris answered, “Hey kiddo,” he was already on the road. “I’ll be back in an hour, maybe less.”

“He was supposed to finish moving in today, why go to-? That’s from the living room. What’s Peter’s phone doing there?” Allison whispered, “Go get it and I can’t, I’m calling my dad.” She tucked her hair behind her ear. “OK, um, Lydia’s over, we were just…studying. But Peter’s phone is here and he’s not here.” As soon as Lydia left the room, Allison asked, “Did you feel anything through the bond? Does it work like that?”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Fantastic.” He huffed. “I haven’t put him under anything.” His dick didn’t count. Peter strained, claws popping out and he snarled. He knew the hunter was doing this to get him to react, but it hurt and the wolf’s defense was to attack. He knew arguing with the hunter wouldn’t do anything either. “Wait, he? He who? Gerard?” Peter wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case. But the fact that Gerard had, the hunters had come and took him seriously and this is what came of it…Peter didn’t like this. The wolf still wanted to fight but was concerned for his mate. Peter hoped Chris was safe.

Chris frowned faintly, it wasn’t like Peter to leave his phone. “Maybe he went out to the store?” He remembered Peter commenting about the Argent’s lack of real food and that beer didn’t count as food.  Then why would he leave his phone. “Is his car gone? I’m not sure it works like that, I mean sometimes from his side I get really strong feelings if he’s projecting. Sometimes he doesn’t know he is.” He had the phone on speaker.

Lydia checked the living room after putting on one of Allison’s shirts. “No Peter,” she had his phone though. “No note. His car would be downstairs wouldn’t it?” She grumbled as she found her skirt and wiggled into it.

Chris wasn’t sure it was prudent to get worried just yet, Peter did like to take off on his own but he usually took his phone. “Maybe he’s down at the gym? Oh good, I’m glad she’s there. Do you girls mind taking a look around?” He didn’t want to sound like an over-protective husband to be but Peter did have an easier time making enemies than friends. He couldn’t help a sense of unease though. He tried feeling out with the bond from his end, it usually took a while, and Peter had an easier time with it. “Peter?” he tried focusing on the road.  Getting into an accident would be very stupid right about now.

“Yes,” The man, Luis, nodded. “He asked La Calavera to knock some sense into his son’s head and use you as the means to do it. The only way you might walk out of here alive is he renounces your hold on him because if she can’t get him to do it with you, she’ll try something a bit closer to home. He has a daughter, no? She is watching her right now, waiting for the right moment to take her.” He stepped back and turned the electricity up again, increasing the voltage.

“I don’t know. Oh.” Allison glanced at Lydia. “He didn’t leave a note, Lydia has his phone and I haven’t seen him all day. He wasn’t here when you left, remember? He said he was coming over to finish bringing his stuff and well, obviously hasn’t.” Allison looked around for some clothes. “No, we don’t mind.” She glanced at Lydia. “Right?”

Peter sighed. “Of course. Though getting someone else to do his dirty work isn’t really Gerard’s style. He must be terribly mad that he can’t do this himself.” Peter snorted. Like Hell Chris was going to break the bond. “You must be new to this, I gave the mate bite…” Peter stared at the man as he went back to the controls. They would go after Allison to get to Chris, even if she was a hunter herself. Peter wondered if he roared if it would be heard by anyone. He choked and tensed up as the electricity zapped through his body. He felt a slight nudge through the bond. “Chris,” he got out.

“Argent is a human, not a wolf.” Luis snarled. “And himself cannot walk but he would gladly be turning these dials if he could be here.” He clearly thought of Gerard as some major deal. “I happily do this for him!”

Chris parked the car abruptly as soon as he felt Peter’s tug. “Peter? I feel something.” He told Allison. “Look, go down and make sure. If you can’t find him call Derek. I have a strong feeling Gerard was stalling me.”  He grimaced. “I think he’s in pain….I-.” Chris gripped the wheel. “No, something’s wrong. I can feel it. Peter?” He kept trying, kept trying to reach out.

A hard-nosed looking lady walked in, “Ah, mi hijo, Luis. You have been treating our guest properly, I hope?”

“Yes, abuela,” the young man nodded.

Lydia nodded to Allison getting her shoes on quickly. “Let’s do what we can.”

She stalked up to the wolf, unafraid and caught his jaw between her thumb and forefinger. “He’s going to try and contact his Mate. Fortunately, I have something to prevent that. A little mixture we like to call Ayahuasca, mix it up with a bit of this and a bit of that.” She patted Peter’s cheek. She looked at the ring on Peter’s finger. “Very pretty, very expensive, very wasted. You know who I am, don’t you? Araya Calavera. The Argents and the Calaveras go back _very_ far.” Her finger nails dug into his cheeks, drawing blood. Then she abruptly stepped back. “Clearly you know very little about true torture, mi hijo. Take the ring, Luis. When Argent is faced with the true reality of the feral thing he has let himself be distracted by, he’ll come back to the fold.”

Luis pulled out his knife.

“Just the ring, not the whole finger. Unless he fights you, of course. Then feel free to take the finger.” Araya chuckled.

“Oh don’t I know it,” Peter muttered to himself. Peter rolled his eyes at the hunter. Delusional. Peter latched on to Chris, closing his eyes with a sigh. “Chris…Chris-” Peter ignored the lady hunter, though he didn’t like the crawl of cold fear up his spine. That only meant she was the head. He didn’t get like that around Gerard because he was useless. This lady wasn’t.

“Alright. We’ll do that.” Allison nodded. “Dad, I’ll call you back. We’re going to check.” She didn’t wait for an answer and hung up. She pulled a shirt on and some shorts, tossing some boots on before heading for the door. “My dad said Peter’s in pain and that Gerard was probably stalling. We should call Derek.” She didn’t like the butterfly like feeling in her gut that told her Peter’s car wasn’t going to be in the parking lot. Something was wrong.

Peter grunted. “Personally I’m never a fan of home remedies. They never work on someone outside the family.” Peter turned away, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. The wolf did not like her but Peter knew better than to snap at her. Peter groaned in pain in the back of his throat as she hurt him. Probably just to watch him bleed. Peter snarled. He wasn’t going to let them take Chris’s ring. But that knife looked wicked sharp. Chris could get him another ring, not another finger. The wolf whimpered but Peter withdrew his claws, so it would be easier to take the ring. “Obviously that was a lie about getting to Allison.” If Calavera was here then Allison was safe, right?

Araya didn’t like him calling for his mate but she did smile at what she did see in Peter’s eyes. Fear. Good. She had Luis hit him for his audacity. He knew how to respect his betters, at least. She watched as the ring was removed, she had no sympathy, she had no love in her heart. Not for wolves. “I knew Christopher Argent when he was a boy,” she told Peter. “He came to Mexico with his father several times.  What you have done to him sickens me. He’s one of the best hunters I know. I trained him in archery. He is one of the best men I know. His wife was a good friend, she was the one who helped develop this mixture.”

She stepped away from Peter, “She wrote to me once, years ago. Araya, she wrote.” Araya walked over with the ring in her hand that Luis had given her. “Should you ever hear the name Peter Hale in connection with my husband? If you should ever hear this you must protect my daughter for I am dead and cannot fight. He has a hold on my husband. He has the potential to cause the ruin my family. You must not let this happen. If my husband has sunk so low as to go to him again, you must save my daughter. Chris will see reason if Allison is the prize. He turned away from Peter Hale once before when she was threatened. He will again.” Araya tsked softly. “So if you think that was a lie, you are wrong, mi hijo. Allison is the key to bring Christopher Argent to heel. You?” She scoffed, “You are a distraction and you are nothing. What good have you ever done? Why do you deserve him? If he were to have to choose between his daughter and yourself, is there any doubt whom he would choose?”

She brought a needle out of the bag and began to prep it. “We hunt those who hunt us. We do not marry them.”

Chris nodded, feeling so frustrated he couldn’t begin to think straight. He couldn’t exactly talk to Peter, it wasn’t talk really, what they did through the bond. It was a feeling. He knew Peter was distressed, and hurt. He knew Peter was calling for him, reaching out but he didn’t know where. He wasn’t a wolf, he couldn’t smell him out and it was driving him crazy. How was he supposed to find him? Chris wiped at his face and turned the car back on. He was going to head over to the Sherriff’s department. They could at least get any security footage. “I’m coming, Peter. I’m coming for you. Stay strong.”

Lydia began to look anxious when they got down to the parking garage and they saw Peter’s car open with groceries and a couple of boxes still in the trunk. He’d just got back, put something upstairs and came down again. That’s why his phone was upstairs. She shivered slightly and sniffled. “Allison… call Derek. Can we hide in your locker?”

Peter grunted at the blow. “He’s still a hunter. Nothing’s changed about him. He nearly got killed going off to hunt wendigos not long ago.” Peter rolled his eyes, but wasn’t sure he liked the mention of Victoria in this. The wolf growled and snapped his teeth in agitation. Peter stared at the floor. He almost felt like crying. He never cried.

“So it was Victoria that used Allison against Chris last time?” He snarled. Well let her rot in Hell then. Chris was happy with him, wasn’t that all that mattered?

“I know I’m far from perfect, but really Chris isn’t perfect either. I’d say we’re meant to be then.” He smirked, feeling his insides tie themselves in knots. “I know I don’t deserve him, you’ll have to ask him because I don’t get it either.” But she was right, Chris would choose Allison over him.

Peter closed his eyes and shuddered, feeling Chris. The wolf whimpered softly. He pressed the question to the forefront of his mind. “Did Victoria know a hunter by the name of Calavera? Were they in contact with each other?” Peter would use his sass to write it all off as lies, but he needed to know, in case it was true.

“My locker? Why? What’s wrong?” She pulled out her phone and backed towards the elevator. She called Derek. This was bad. “My dad needs to know too.”

“Victoria knew far more than she ever let on and after that she kept a tight hold on the Argent. Oh, how she hated you but he never knew, she kept her heart to herself.” Araya said with a soft chuckle. “As long as he kept himself to his family, all was well.” Luis wasn’t the only other hunter. There were three more in the hallway and one by the door. “We are aware that he’s still hunting, but now he works with a wolf pack. It is betrayal to our code, and the worst part is that he thinks he’s doing the right thing. Working with killers and monsters. It was time for an intervention. We did not need the motivation of the price Gerard Argent put on you. We are aware that he lost his mind when his daughter was killed. We have been preparing this for a while.”

She filled the wicked looking three inch needle with a vial from a bag. “No,” she gave a shake of her head. “A man and a monster is never meant to be. The man will always kill the monster and that is the choice we will give him to bring him back to us. Save his daughter or kill the beast. But if he still sees you inside there, it will be difficult won’t it?” She finished preparing the needle. “This will hurt.” She flicked the needle slightly, but did not insert it yet. She was waiting.

Chris rubbed his forehead again, feeling the need to pull over one more time. He could feel Peter’s fear rising but why was he thinking about Victoria? He tried to focus on what Peter was trying to convey. Mexico? He was in Mexico? No. He got an image of an older woman, a familiar face. Peter was trying so hard to get through to him. Chris shuddered, he knew the face well.

_La Calavera._

Gerard’s on again, off again girlfriend. Granted that had been twenty years ago...

“Peter, hang on.” Chris pressed. He dialed Stiles, that kid better pick up his damn phone. And he got a text from Lydia at the same time.

“Someone’s here.” Lydia ushered Allison towards the locker area quickly and the two of them got into it. Allison had the keys. Luckily there were plenty of places to hide there. She texted Chris quickly when Allison called Derek.

Derek answered “What?” sharply.

Lydia: **I think there are Hunters here. Allison and I safe for now. Do not come back here.**

When Stiles picked up, Chris cut him off from speaking immediately. “Get to the Police Station and bring Scott. I need your Dad’s help. Allison is getting Derek. Peter’s in serious trouble.”

“Then how do you know that was the truth and why would she tell you? I know hunter stick together but this just seems silly.” Peter shivered, he never thought letting Chris help would bite them in the ass. “That pack belongs to my nephew, my family. And we asked Chris to help train the betas.” Any threat to Derek would just piss him off. Peter felt his heart skip a beat. “Free range hunters?” He laughed to himself. He had to do something or the unsettling feeling would overtake him. This was not good.

Peter puffed, eyes fixed on the needle. “You want the beast then.” They were going to make him attack Chris. The wolf let out a tiny pitiful howl, it echoed around in Peter’s head. “A crazed, unrecognizable killer.” He let out a humorless laugh. “But do you really need to drug me for that?”

Peter urged Chris to hurry.

“How do you know that? I didn’t see anyone.” Allison opened the locker and climbed inside. She shut the door once Lydia was inside. “Peter’s missing. My dad says he’s in pain, he can feel it through their bond.” She spoke softly, just for Derek to hear.

“Um OK. But my dad doesn’t know about werewolves. What are we going to tell him?” Stiles shoved his sneakers on his feet, cradling his phone to his ear.

Araya gave a low laugh at Peter’s words. “It is against the code, everything you have just said. He’s a risk we cannot afford. He’s on the edge and we need to pull him back from it, we will not allow him to teach your pack all of our secrets. We have no reason to think otherwise, Victoria would not lie. Not to me.” Of course Chris was doing that, he was pretty adamant about what, exactly, the pack learned about.

Araya smirked. “I need to drug you for what comes next. I would not try to fight this if I were you or it will be worse for you, just accept it.” She looked at Peter’s bicep with a malicious grin. “This is going to hurt. A lot.” She jabbed the long needle into Peter’s skin and pressed it in. Her thumb let the greenish serum flow into Peter.

It burned inside as the mixture collided with his blood.

“Use your head Stiles. Your dad’s not an idiot. Scott can show him.” Chris was agitated or he might not be snapping at the kid. “I think he’s being tortured. We don’t have much time. I need your Dad’s influence to get to these hunters. Stiles,” He paused softly, his voice wavered from his usual hard-nosed commentary. “I think he’s afraid.”

And if Peter Hale was afraid, that was serious trouble right there.

Chris quickly texted Lydia **: Going to Sherriff Station. Make sure the pack comes to you first**.  He didn’t realize how much his hands were shaking. He had never felt like this in his life. It was like his heart had been ripped out of him.

Lydia related that message to Allison. “I can feel them. I don’t know, recent deaths on their hands?” She shuddered. “We’re not alone in here, I know it.”

Derek heard Lydia, “You two stay where you are. We’ll come for you first.”

Chris kept trying to keep himself open to the wolf, to reach out to him and hold on. “Don’t let go.” He begged Peter. “Stay with me.”

Which might be a little disconcerting to hear because he was still on the phone with Stiles.

Peter shuddered and muttered, “Then why let me talk if everything I say is a lie?” Peter snorted. “Chris isn’t stupid, he would never tell the betas anything unless he thought it was necessary.”

“At least you warned me first…” Peter grunted as the needle hit his skin, but the pain vanished quickly. But then the liquid entered his body and he screamed.

“Yeah, yeah that makes sense.” Stiles got up. “OK, I’ll go get Scott. We’ll find him.” He wanted to say ‘don’t worry’ but who was he to tell Chris Argent not to worry? And Chris wasn’t worried, he was concerned. With good reason.

Allison tried to put an arm around Lydia. She guessed hunters. “We won’t move.” She hung up, she needed to listen for movement.

Stiles ran down the stairs to his Jeep. “Do you think there’s anything Scott’s mom could do? Like is Peter going to need medical attention?”

The wolf howled. He wanted his mate, he didn’t like this burning fire in his veins. Peter shook, he wasn’t sure if he could feel Chris anymore.

Araya caught his jaw once again between her thumb and forefinger and looked at him as the serum pierced his blood. “You might say something useful. Running off at the mouth seems to be one of your favorite things to do, however. But it doesn’t matter, you’ve given us all I need. I’m sure you feel the drug already taking effect.” She chuckled. “When they find you, and they will, there will be hardly anything left of you.” She turned away and left the room. “Leave him. The drug will do its work, we’ll have to deal with the rest of the pack when they get here.” The chains were loosened and the electricity was shut off and he was left in the room on his own, all exits barred by mountain ash. Anyone who came in would deal with the aftermath of the drug in Peter’s system. She may have forgotten it, but she did leave the ring.

The girls in the parking garage were being hunted, but Lydia had faith in Allison, plus she could take any of the weapons in the locker. They weren’t helpless. It was nice to know a pack of werewolves were heading their way. A pack who only grudgingly worked together, of course, but still a pack. Cora, Derek, Boyd, Erica and Isaac would make quick work of whoever was out there.

Chris grunted, “I don’t know. I have to let you go.” Chris hung up abruptly with Stiles. He clutched the steering wheel and shuddered, trying to focus. Peter needed to hang out, he couldn’t give up. He tried to push his way through the bond and reach Peter. It was like punching a brick wall at the moment but he kept doing it. “Don’t give up, don’t give up.”  He found himself approaching the sheriff’s station and hoped Stiles and Scott weren’t far behind.

Scott of course, didn’t argue about anything, he just came along. He did dial his mother and told her to get ready. There was a situation on hand again.

Peter strained in the chains, regretting his ability to sass back. He groaned, a headache forming. He didn’t want to ask what it was. He was sure he was better off not knowing. He willed the mixture through his body, to sweat it out. Peter dropped to his knees and clutched at his head. His muscles twitched and the pain blossomed, pounding in his head. He gave a short strangled gasp. His head rolled back, eyes glowing blue and he howled. It echoed and bounced off his skull. Peter curled in on himself for a moment. But then it was like nothing happened. He scrambled to get up, to get the ring.

Allison pulled out her daggers. “Do you know how to use these?” She whispered, pressing the metal into Lydia’s hand. They might be better off if she could get at her bow, but it was stashed behind them and any moving would let whoever was here know right where they were. Allison needed space to fire as well, which meant leaving the locker.

Stiles parked the Jeep, jumped out and nearly collided with Scott. “Are you ready for this?” He really didn’t know how to feel about letting Scott wolf out on his dad. It was important that he knew, and this was the easier way to do it…”What if he draws his gun? What if he throws us out?” Last second doubts wouldn’t help, but Stiles was always thinking about the what-ifs.

It was relatively easy to get the ring, no one was bothering him but there’s a lingering nagging feeling. The drug isn’t gone, there’s something keeping it in his system. It’s just flowing through him. And he was not precisely alone in the cell. There were cameras, put strategically in places he couldn’t get to. Getting the ring would be a small moment of triumph, but only a small one. It was thirty minutes later when footsteps came down the hall towards Peter’s cell and stopped just outside.  Someone was standing in the doorway, just beyond Peter’s sight. He smelled good, smelled like candy and home and all the things that dreams are made of. But it was like a ghost of a smell. A memory. “You don’t deserve that.”  The voice was cold and hard from the shadows, mocking him. So familiar, yet so foreign. There was the sound of a gun cocking. “It’s about time to end this, don’t you think?”

Lydia picked up one of the daggers and made a face that indicated she had no idea and Allison should probably take it away before she hurt herself. Lydia sort of held the danger between two fingers and looked incredulously at Allison. “I’m not a fighter.” She protested with an indignant whisper.

One of the hunters came too close but he was no match for Allison. She could easily get the drop on him if she chose.

The pack was nearly there. Derek sent back a text to Allison that they were outside and didn’t see anything suspicious yet.

“He won’t do that,” Scott shook his head at Stiles, “It’ll be fine.”  He reassured Stiles with a hand on his shoulder. “He loves you and he’s known me forever. He’s handled some crazy things with just humans, y’know.” They walked into the police station.

Chris saw Stiles and Scott walk in and got out of his car. He was really worried. He couldn’t ‘feel’ Peter. Well he could, but it was like the bond was dull. It was there but not. He tried to reach for it but he was hitting a wall. Cold fear gripped him, they might have used something on Peter.  He followed about ten minutes later to give them some time before coming into the station. It felt like being kicked in the gut. Now he knew what Peter had felt like when he’d completely cut him off. It was awful and so damn difficult to concentrate. All he could think about was getting to his mate. Peter needed him.

Peter sighed and slipped the ring back on. He felt a little odd, like something had been scooped out of him, but he couldn’t place what it was. He knew any attempt to escape would probably end badly. Even if the hunters were busy with other matters, they would likely know when he was out. It would be best to wait. He sat in the middle of the room, listening and turned when he heard footsteps. Or at least he was sure he did. He tilted his head, getting up to try and see who was there. He sniffed the air. “Chris?” The wolf was confused. How did Chris know he was here? Peter didn’t know where he was. “What? But you gave it to me.” Peter took a step backwards. “End what?” He tried to see a gun. What was going on?

“Alright, give it-” Allison took it back and shushed Lydia. She could just see the hunter outside the locker. “I’m going to get him, you run,” she whispered and slammed the locker door open, launching at the hunter and getting him in the neck with a dagger. She pulled the dagger out and looked around. She didn’t hear her phone buzz.

Stiles sighed. “Yeah, you’re right. You’re not usually right, but…” Stiles smiled and walked right into his dad’s office.

Noah looked up from his paperwork. “Stiles,” he sighed. “Why aren’t you at home? Doing homework?” He glanced at Scott. “Correction, why aren’t either of you at home doing homework?”

“Dad, we have something to tell you.”

“It better be good.” Noah leaned back, tossing his pen down. “And it can’t be about dating Scott, unless there’s something else about that you’d like to tell me.”

“Uh, no.” Stiles blushed. “No need to worry yourself there, I mean maybe you will, but…”

“Stiles, get on with it. I’m busy.”

Stiles nodded, took a deep breath and spread his hands. “Werewolves are real.”

Noah looked unimpressed. He ran a hand over his face. “Stiles, if this is some sort of prank, though I don’t know why you involved Scott, it’s not funny-”

“No, dad, I’m not lying.” Stiles turned to Scott. “Show him.”

Chris stood in the doorway, crossbow ready and gun out. He seemed to materialize out of the shadows. The mountain ash would prevent Peter from getting to him and he looked a little younger, more like a long time ago. An image from somewhere in Peter’s memories. He was wearing his wedding ring.

“We hunt those who hunt us.” Chris repeated a well turned phrase. “I see now that I could never marry someone like you.” The words were dripping hatred. Chris was looking at him like he was a monster, like he was nothing more than a creature to destroy. He took aim. It was a look Chris had never given him before. “I will do my duty.”

Lydia was good at running. She ran… headlong into a hunter, and screamed. Glass shattered nearby and the man who had been about to grab her held onto his head in pain. This of course, alerted the pack to their position. Once they were able to move again. Lydia extracted herself from the man’s general vicinity, panting in astonishment.

Scott gave a little sigh as he watched Stiles and Noah go back and forth in their usual way. “Don’t freak out.” He told Noah…and shifted. He tried his best to be non-threatening, holding his hands up where the Sheriff could see them.

Chris chose that moment to come into the station and stride towards the Sherriff’s office. He was of course stopped by someone and didn’t look at all happy about it. He looked desperate. “I need to report a missing person.” He could barely get the words out.  He couldn’t begin to explain how he was feeling. The bond was doing strange things. One minute Peter was there, then he wasn’t. It was if he was tripping.

“You’re not real.” Peter said it but his body didn’t believe it. He shook his head, trying to get fake Chris to go away. But he was still there, still aiming. Peter ducked out of the way. His heart beat fast and his eyes flashed blue. “You’re not real,” he snarled, fangs out. Could he fight this fake Chris? The wolf wasn’t sure what to do. He felt dizzy.

Allison got up and ran after Lydia. She paused as the scream rang out, covering her ears. Allison came up and punched the guy out as he was recovering from Lydia’s scream. Allison continued to follow Lydia, keeping an eye out for Derek or other hunters.

“Stiles I don’t have time for-” Noah shot to his feet, hand going to his gun on instinct.

“Dad! Don’t, it’s just Scott.” Stiles moved in front of Scott, to protect him.

“Stiles,” Noah spoke softly, “step away.”

“Are you going to hurt Scott? Because I’m not moving if you are.”

“I’m-I was just startled is all. Let me look again.” He set his gun on the desk.

Stiles moved out of the way, just enough and glanced out the door. He spotted Chris. “OK, there isn’t like any time to explain too much else. But Chris Argent, Allison’s dad hunts werewolves. And he’s dating Peter Hale. Who isn’t dead, because magic I think? And apparently-”

He was cut off by a deputy opening the door. “Sir, this gentleman is here to report a missing person.”

“Stiles, I have a job to do. Can’t-can’t you just tell me later?” Noah wasn’t sure if he wanted to believe Stiles.

Chris fired his weapon, and stepped through the mountain ash with a laugh. He was clearly unafraid of Peter as the bullets flew. “I’m here, aren’t I? Of course I’m real.” His eyes blazed. “There’s nowhere to run, Hale. For all the things you did, you _should_ suffer.”  There was no trace of the man who loved him. But was he that man? “Your touch _sickens_ me.”

Derek and company arrived to take the hunters in hand. Derek was impressed with Allison of course and the fact that the girls actually didn’t really need rescuing. He set about getting a feel for what happened to Peter and he knew it would be difficult right away. The hunters were prepared for wolves tracking them and had countered them. He called Stiles right away to tell him the girls were safe. They had captured some hunters and Erica and Boyd were going to _interrogate_ them unless Sherriff was able to provide any help.

Derek: **The hunters covered their scents somehow. We can’t pick up a trail. We need info from your dad for a direction to head in.**

Lydia was extremely anxious after that scream. She hadn’t really used her powers very much. She was a little terrified of them. She did stick close to Allison’s side though, nervous.

Chris put a hand up a gesture meant to stop Stiles and Scott from leaving. He made sure it was only the four of them who were listening. “Sherriff Stilinski. He’s telling the truth. It’s a long, horrible story but it’s true. Your son has been waiting for the right time to tell you and unfortunately it’s too late. If it’s any consolation, he’s been handling it very well. Stiles, he knows Peter Hale isn’t dead, Natalie Martin has been helping him with legal work.” Chris shuddered, feeling the bond jump and fall again. It was like being on a rollercoaster ride. “Here’s what you need to know right now. There are good and bad werewolves. There are sometimes whole innocent families of them, like the Hales were. It’s a hereditary gene as well as one that can be passed with a bite from an Alpha. No, Scott is not an Alpha, and Stiles is in no danger of becoming one. There are people who hunt the bad ones and normally stick to that due to a code we have. Sometimes things get out of hand. People snap. Wolves kill innocents. That’s when bad things happen.” He exhaled. “Right now, I need your help. Information only you, being the sheriff, can get me. My fiancé, has been taken by the bad kind of hunters. The security footage of the building I live in and street cameras can track whatever car or van took him. Please help me find him. I’ll tell you everything, but I need to find him. Before they destroy him. Hunters kill werewolves. I can’t lose him. Please help me. I am begging you.” He didn’t like doing this, but he had no choice. He couldn’t just give the pack Peter’s scent and have them rush out. That wouldn’t work.

Scott sort of opened and closed his mouth and stared at Chris. “Peter Hale needs our help, Mr. Stilinski.” He nodded. “I mean, he’s the one who bit me and I kind of still hate him for that but we can’t let those hunters kill him.” He looked at Stiles, and looked down at the floor. “He could have killed Stiles more than once and he didn’t.”

“That doesn’t mean…” Peter felt the wolf lurch; it didn’t want to get hit. He somersaulted out of the way. “Wh-why?” Peter shuddered, he felt sick. “No,” he gasped, collapsing to his knees, breathing hard. “That’s not true, I know that’s a lie.” He dug his hands into his hair, claws tugging and causing some blood to trickle out.

Allison walked over to Derek as soon as the dust settled. Lydia followed and Allison pulled her close. “Did you catch Peter’s scent?” She wasn’t sure if these were the same hunters that took him, but it would be a coincidence if they weren’t, just hanging out by his car…She checked her phone to see if there were any messages from her dad.

Was that a compliment? Stiles wasn’t sure. “Oh, I didn’t know that.” He glanced at his dad. “Didn’t you think that was strange? Guy who was in a coma and then not just appears healthy and whole again?”

“Stiles, it’s Beacon Hills, there’s stranger things than that happening.” Noah rubbed his temples.

“Yeah.” Stiles spared a glance at Scott and pulled out his phone.

Noah just sat there, absorbing all the information for a moment. Then he blinked at Chris. “The Hales are werewolves…” He scratched the back of his neck. He turned to Stiles. “Were they serious threats?”

Stiles glanced at the floor. “Maybe? But that’s not the point-!”

“I know, just…give me a moment to-to rethink some things.” Noah turned to Chris. “I’ll get the tapes and go from there. But if they managed to take him, do you think they’d be foolish enough to be caught on camera?” He didn’t want to sound like the Devil’s Advocate, but if these hunters wanted Hale dead, then why do something so reckless? “Is there anything else I can do?” He glanced between Scott and Chris. Noah figured it would help if this was considered a regular missing person’s case for now. “I do need to know where you were, just to get a timeline going.” He’d call a deputy to pull the tapes as soon as Scott and Stiles left.

Chris kept coming forward until the barrel of his gun was on Peter’s forehead and he was backed up into a corner. He leaned down and chuckled. “Should I give you one last fuck before I put you out of your misery?” His cold fingers trailed down the back of Peter’s neck and pressed them against a certain spot. It was foreign, that touch, but it shouldn’t be. It shouldn’t be cruel. “Maybe I won’t kill you. I could just keep you as my bitch. Keep you in chains.” He laughed sharply. “You actually thought I would marry an animal like you? _Darling_ , I would burn myself alive first.”

Kate’s voice drifted in from the hallway, someone lit a match. There was a burning flame. “My brother’s knows better, knows what you are worth.”

Derek looked frustrated, “I know he was here, but I can’t get a definitive direction. Somethings messing with the scent.”

Chris texted Allison: **Stilinski’s on board. He needs a minute to process, but he’ll help us.**

“No but we can match times to when Peter walked in last and check events from there.” Chris wasn’t giving up anything, though Noah was right it was a slim chance. He would take anything he could get. He was having trouble focusing. “I don’t think this has anything to do with wanting Peter dead. This has to do with me. I have a strong feeling you will find a trail we can follow.” He grunted. “But it will be a trap. If I have regular police with me it will be more difficult for them to carry out their plans. I think they were hoping it would just be me and the pack. Counting on it. I need to find him.” Chris sat down heavily for a moment and rubbed his shoulder where the mate bite was. “I share a link with him. It’s hard to explain, but it’s like he’s there and not there. Stiles, he’s in a lot of emotional pain. I need to find him.”

Scott had been looking at his feet nervously the entire time. “I have the same link with Stiles,” he mumbled. He’s not helping much, and feeling very concerned the Sherriff wouldn’t let him see Stiles again after this.

Peter felt his back hit a wall and flinched. He didn’t like this, he didn’t like being afraid, he didn’t like being afraid of Chris. This wasn’t right. Peter jerked at the touch and stared at Chris. This wasn’t real, none of it was. Right? “But when was the last time I killed anyone?” Peter loathed how his voice shook. Why was he explaining this? He didn’t have to justify his actions. He was ready to snarl, when he smelled the burning phosphate and his eyes widened. Kate was dead, she wasn’t real, but that fire could be. Peter was shaking.

“Well maybe it’s time we asked them,” Allison nodded at the hunters that were surrounded by the pack. She wasn’t sure how much information they would give to the wolves, but maybe she could get them to talk. She glanced at her phone. “Stiles’s dad is going to help.” They needed all the backup they could get.

Noah nodded. “I take it these other hunters don’t like the idea of you getting married to a werewolf. I’ll spare who I can.”

It was strange to think of Peter in pain when he didn’t deserve it. But-Stiles turned to Scott, surprised he’d even admit that.

“Uh huh. We really don’t have the time, or I’d ask for details. As long as Stiles isn’t in pain or a target either…” Noah shrugged. He turned back to Chris. “Though I think you don’t need to explain, you’re going to marry him and that kind of link is pretty self-explanatory.” He played with his wedding ring. He glanced at the boys. “Alright, you’re going to have to leave if you want me to do my job and round up some people to help”

“You speak as if I care what you say.” Chris’s hand trailed down Peter’s back and up again back to that spot. In an almost sensual way, like his nerves were reacting to something. A presence, but his hands prickled, like a burning touch rather than comforting one. The gun was kept close to Peter’s head. “You’re a killer, Peter. A vicious animal that should have been put down years ago.” His hands trailed down to Peter’s ass. He was shirtless due to the torture. “It wouldn’t take much, would it? To have you panting and begging? You’re so pathetically addicted to me you wouldn’t care how I did it as long as my cock was inside you so you can forget everything else.”

“A worthless killer at that, all your plans fail.” Kate’s voice trailed in from the hallway. But it wasn’t like she was actually carrying on a conversation with Chris. She was just an echo. “You were meant to die.” The smell of fire could be real though.

“You killed me for nothing,” Laura’s voice echoed.

The hunters were dragged off for questioning by the two betas. Erica seemed rather eager to participate.

Derek wouldn’t let Allison go with them. “They’re hunters, Allison. Let us handle it. Good,” he nodded. “It’s about time he was brought in. Stiles was stalling too long. Listen, we’re going to find him.” He promised as he crouched down by the driver’s side of Peter’s car. He picked up a gun shell. It was something.

Lydia had begun to come to her senses. “Whatever we do we need to do it soon.”

Scott smiled at Stiles with a nervous laugh, then nodded to the Sherriff. “Later I’ll answer any questions you want to know,” he promised. He at least did not mention Stiles was a target being someone their Alpha cared about. Noah didn’t need to know that yet.

“Thank you,” Chris exhaled in relief. He provided Noah with a recent picture of Peter which he always kept on his phone and got the boys out of the police station. “We’re going to have to split up and search different areas to try and find the trail in the meantime. I’ve got a few ideas of safe houses they might have taken him too.” He texted a list of possible places to Derek including the following instruction: **They will have Mountain Ash protection, Wolves may not be able to get inside, so each team will need a human with them to disable the Ash**.

Derek texted back: **Alright, Allison will come with Cora and me. Lydia will go with Isaac, Erica and Boyd and you’ll go with Scott and Stiles. Text us when you have more information.**  
  
Chris gestured to his truck, “Come on, boys.”  It was a family truck so it could fit four people but was also full of things that could kill werewolves so naturally Scott was a little wary. Chris just glared at him.

“Okay, okay, but we usually use Stiles’s jeep.” Scott muttered but he did what Chris told him to.

“It’s not practical for this.” Chris stomped to the driver’s side and got in. He didn’t have time for the boy’s problems. “And I really need people with me.”  He did, with the kids to focus on he could keep his mind from wandering to horrible thoughts. He rubbed the back of his neck and felt his mate bite throb. He knew Peter needed him. “Hang in there,” he whispered. “I love you, we’re coming for you.”

Peter shivered and it was a mix of desire and fear. He glared, trying to appear like he wasn’t hurting on the inside, like his heart wasn’t threatening to break. Peter jerked at the touch, it was cold. He wanted to bite out a snappy comeback, but anything that came to his mind was a lie. Peter turned away from Chris, he was ridiculously in love with him and having sex with him. There was no denying it.

Peter huffed at Kate. “You’re not real. You have nothing to say either, considering Derek and I survived the fire. What’s the point if not everyone is dead?”

Peter’s eyes widened and he moved further along the wall. He wanted away from the fire and Laura. “I-” He couldn’t justify her death, he had been weak and power hungry, out of his mind…He whimpered.

“As long as you know what you’re doing,” Allison muttered. She turned to Lydia. “Is Peter going to die?” Allison hoped that wasn’t the case and Lydia was feeling something else.

“I’ll make sure to do that,” Noah told Scott, then once he had the picture, followed the boys and Chris out of his office, telling one deputy to get on the security footage and a few others on any reports about Peter. “This is time sensitive, he’s in life threatening danger, call in as soon as you have something.”

Allison turned back to Derek. “Go where?” She looked over his shoulder at his phone. “Safe houses…it’s a start.”

Stiles climbed in, folding his limbs close to his body. He didn’t want to bump anything by accident. “He’s right. My Jeep kind of stands out, what with all the duct tape…and it’ll be easier to approach hunters in a car they recognize.” He glanced at Chris. “How did the other hunters know about you and Peter anyway?”

Chris’s fingers kept moving along Peter’s skin. He dragged Peter up to his feet and pushed him over a table on his stomach. “I clearly don’t need a gun to control you.” He set it to the side.

The smell of flame was getting closer and Kate laughter echoed in the distance. “I’ve got everyone now.”  

Laura gave him a reproachful, hurt stare, as if she wanted him to stay where he was. To endure pain and suffer. Or was that his subconscious?

Chris’s smell was all wrong, and yet he was there. He held Peter down on the table by his neck and applied pressure. “Why don’t you fight me?” He asked as he kicked Peter’s legs apart. “You’d let me, wouldn’t you? You’d let me take your pants off, fuck you raw. You’d love it, revel in it, even if it is the last time. Even though you know the thought of being inside you makes my skin crawl, you want it anyway.” He pushed Peter’s jeans down to reveal his ass roughly, popping the button and forcing the zipper open. He pressed his hand on Peter’s ass and teased his hole with one finger. Not quite entering yet.

One of the hunters looking at the camera smirked. The drug was working beautifully, Araya would be pleased.  The wolf would be a complete mess by the time they had captured Allison Argent. He was alone in the room, but reacting to things that weren’t actually there. Chris Argent would have little choice but to do what she demanded.

Lydia shook her head, “No. No but I think he thinks being dead would be better than whatever it is he’s going through.” She swallowed. “I think he’s breaking, and I don’t know how to help him.” She squeezed Allison’s hand. “Go with Derek and Cora, I’ll be fine. Isaac will make sure of that.”

Scott sniffed at the air, feeling a little tingling sensation. It was a thing he usually ignored but he and Peter had always shared a link. It wasn’t a bond or anything like that. It was more because Peter was Scott’s creator. His original Alpha. He’d rejected him a long time ago and refused to let anything develop between them.

“What is it?” Chris turned to look at Scott. “You sense something.” The bond was jack rabbiting all over the place and he couldn’t make heads or tails of what was wrong with Peter.

“It’s not good,” Scott shuddered slightly. “I think he’s giving up.”

“NO!” Chris shook his head fiercely. “No, I won’t let him. He can’t.”  He turned on the ignition. “I don’t care what you have to do Scott, but if you have any kind of link with him, if you can get him another way. Anything at all, you have to open it. I can’t reach him, he keeps opening up then shutting down. He cannot give up.” He plugged in the directions to the first safe house on his GPS. “Stiles, navigate.” He couldn’t even focus on anything right now. Maybe he should let Stiles have the wheel. Noah was going to use the Sheriff’s cruiser.

Scott grunted, he let the faint connection open and tried to reassure Peter, to soothe his … Alpha. He didn’t know how, he looked at Stiles for help, but he did what he could. “Don’t lose hope. We’re all coming for you.”

Peter grunted. He shut his eyes, he could ignore Kate, and he didn’t want to see Laura. Peter shivered. “You’re not real.”

Peter groaned. “I can’t fight something that isn’t there. And why deny the truth?” Peter felt a bit better with his eyes closed. But Chris’s hand certainly felt real. Peter whimpered. He tried to focus on the bond, open up and push out the phantoms in his head. “Chris,” he whispered. “Hurry…” It was like a veil had been lifted. It was easier to concentrate when he couldn’t see.

Somehow that sounded worse than if Lydia had just said Peter was going to die. “I know.” Allison squeezed back. Then she turned and followed Derek.

Stiles’s eyes widened. He had never seen Chris this angry before, let alone angry at all. “OK.” He sat forward, watching the GPS and shut off the voice, it’d be too annoying with the situation at hand. They didn’t need it getting smashed it a fit of rage. Stiles grabbed Scott’s hand, not sure if it would help, but maybe Scott needed his mate to contact Peter.

Peter gasped. He could faintly hear Scott. He never thought he’d be relieved to know teenagers were coming to help him.

Chris’s fingers entered him with a quick, decisive, merciless shove. But there was something wrong. It wasn’t right, and yet it was Chris and it feels the same. “Oh, I’m here and I know it’s the truth.” The hunter gave another vicious shove. “You could end all of this, if you just let go. Just became the beast. You could easily rip my throat out.”

“Open your eyes and look at me, Uncle Peter.” Laura’s accusing voice was relentless. “Open your eyes and face me!”

As flames danced in front of Peter’s eyelids, goading him to open his eyes, Kate’s laughter could be heard echoing down the halls.

Derek used Peter’s car since the keys were in the ignition with Allison and Cora to drive to their safe house. He was quiet the entire time, Cora, however, had more of a sense of humor than her brother.

“Two Hales with an Argent in the back seat. There’s a morbid joke here, I’m sure. Allison, we don’t know each other well.” Cora looked back at her, sizing her up. “But I’ve been meaning to ask you, is Isaac single?”

“Cora!” Derek snapped. “We have to find Peter, focus.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Cora grumbled. “Uncle Peter has been in worse situations and made it out alive.” She wasn’t all that worried about him, apparently. “Don’t you remember when he was captured by the Desert Wolf?” She glanced back at Allison, “Trained Assassin. We still don’t know how he made it out of that one.”

Chris shuddered. He could feel Peter trying to break through. “It’s working.” He tried to fight the emotion that threatened to overwhelm him. The sheer fear that he was getting from Peter, the desperation. “Peter, I’m coming. Stay with us. Hold on. Stiles, how much closer?” He turned a corner. He had to have faith that maybe, maybe somehow, someway. Somehow they might find the right house the first time. Through sheer luck. He had also given the addresses of the houses to Noah. They were splitting them up.

Scott felt Peter immediately and held on to the connection. He didn’t know what else to say. “Alpha. Bring me to you, roar.” Others may not hear it, but he had a connection to Peter.

“Smart,” Chris looked approvingly at Scott. It was probably the first time he’d looked at Scott that way.

Peter jerked. He clenched, kept his eyes closed. “There’d be nothing to kill…” Peter shuddered. Somehow Laura was the worst, because he knew killing her had been wrong. Peter scrambled backwards, away from the flame, back to the wall. He covered his face with shaking hands.

“Um…” Allison watched the exchange, trying not to seem like it was awkward. “Yes, Isaac’s not dating anyone, as far as I know.” Trained assassin? “What did they want with him?” Obviously Peter hadn’t been killed, or the assassin was terrible at their job.

“Almost there, just a couple more blocks. Like two corners.” Stiles looked up, to see if he could spot the house, but they weren’t close enough yet.

Peter heard Scott, pushed the ghostly images away with a sweep of his hand. He leaned his head back and roared, claws digging into the concrete floor. Then he shivered and curled in on himself, keeping his head pressed against his knees.

For Scott, the feeling was crazy. He had resisted the link between himself and Peter so long that opening it up was almost painful but at the same time, liberating. He looked surprised but at the same time almost cringed backwards at the force of the roar. It was full of pain and desperation and they were already getting close to it. Somehow, against all odds, they were going to the right place. He knew the others wouldn’t hear it, it was muffled by whatever security measures had been taken, just like he knew that he wouldn’t be able to get into the house. Chris and Stiles would be on their own.

Apparently, the police had already raided one of the houses and found plenty of illegal weapons enough to arrest all the people they found there.

“We don’t know, at least our parents didn’t tell us.” Cora shrugged. “He got away and claimed not to remember anything. Maybe you should ask him.”

Allison, Derek and Cora were distracted from their conversation as the car was nearly run off the road and they had to get out to fight hunters.

Isaac, Lydia, Cora and Boyd successfully got the information they needed.

It was difficult to coordinate everything but eventually the information came through in bits and pieces to Stiles and Scott’s phone. The hunters were spread out, using the safe houses as decoys.

Peter wasn’t even in the safe house they were headed to, but a few blocks away.

Scott shook his head. “Don’t go there, it’s a trap. He’s close though.” He gestured a direction the GPS didn’t give them. “That way.” Towards a less rundown section of the neighborhood.

“You’ve got him?” Chris couldn’t contain his excitement at hearing that Scott made it through.

Scott squeezed Stiles’s hand, and nodded to Chris. “Stiles have your dad send people. Tell the others they’re going into traps for wolves.” The car rolled down the street and Chris parked it. “We should walk the rest of the way, so as not to alert them. It’s only a block or two that way.” He opened the door and bounded out once the car was parked. “ _Peter, I heard you_.” He tried to convey the feeling, but in the slew of feelings attacking Peter it might not make it through.

Chris thought that was a good idea, he could almost feel Peter now. “I think, I think you’re right.” He brought out his guns because his crossbow was only used for werewolves. “Hold on.” He only hoped they hadn’t gotten too far and that Peter was still in one piece. He ran after Scott, regretting for the first time in his life that he wasn’t a wolf. If he had been a wolf, he could have found Peter on his own.

“I’ll do that once we find him.” Allison jumped out of the car as it rolled to a stop and pulled out her daggers. She knew Derek and Cora would need the help as hunter climbed out of their dark car.

Stiles read off the texts, then shut the GPS off. It wasn’t like they’d need it now. Stiles nodded. He furiously texted Allison and Lydia, sure that they weren’t driving at least. Then he texted his dad. Stiles opened his mouth, to say something as Scott ran off, but didn’t. He got out and went after Scott and Chris. “It’s OK, I’ll take up the rear.” He hated how loud his sneakers slapping on the sidewalk sounded.

Peter shook, trying to ignore the demons that were plaguing him. He dug his claws into his arms, the voices wavered. The blood let the drug out but he couldn’t let too much out. He flinched as Kate’s fire inched closer, he dragged his claws down his forearms. Peter shivered, he picked his head up. Had he heard Scott clearly? He seemed…close. Peter got to his feet. The blood dripped off his claws to splash to the floor. His wounds were already healed and the voices were back. Peter cried out, covering his ears, there was a roar of flame. He sank to his knees.

Chris warned Scott about the mountain ash almost too late. Scott shuddered and jumped back, slightly burned after he got shot at by one of the hunters. Chris shot the man who shot Scott and fought his way into the house, once he saw the mountain ash he scoffed at it so Scott could get in but La Calavera had been one step ahead of him and now she had a gun on Chris while he had one on her. Peter was somewhere below them, trapped by the mountain ash still there.

“We hunt those who hunt us.” Araya said slowly and deliberately. “What has happened to the Christopher Argent I knew? A man who loved his wife and daughter. What has happened to the man who stood by his father?”

“What have you done to Peter?” Chris snapped at her.

“Brought him to his base nature so you can finally see the monster he is.” Araya spat back.

“I know what he is.” Chris snarled. “You’ve lost, Araya. Give him up. I don’t care who put you up to this. I swear if Peter isn’t in one piece I will destroy you and your people, one by one. Peter!” He called out trying to get his mate to hear him.

“It wasn’t your father.” Araya gave him a deadly smile.

Scott was busy trying to fight people outside on his own. There was an opening that Stiles could slip through at the other side of the house while Chris was dealing with Araya. Not that Stiles should do anything, but there’s another way in.

Peter heard people upstairs fighting, gun shots. Someone snarled. The wolf perked up. Peter got up, to his feet, ignoring the specters and went towards the mountain ash barrier. He sniffed the air, trying to pick up a scent. There was teenager sweat. It had to be Scott.

Peter’s heart swelled, the bond sang. The wolf wagged his tail. It was Chris. “Downstairs!” He could hear Calavera talking to Chris. “No rush.” He let Chris know he wasn’t going anywhere. Peter couldn’t hear Scott though. The visions were bothersome again. Peter dragged his claws with a hiss down his arm. The blood flowed down and Peter felt better as the voices ceased for a brief moment. Then they were back. Peter sighed.

Stiles finally caught up to Scott and skidded to a stop as someone took a shot. Stiles fell on his ass, but scrambled up and ran to the other side of the house. He burst through the door, some more hunters were sitting and packing ammo in a kitchen. Stiles ran down the hall before they could chase him. “Peter? Chris?” Stiles had no idea where he was going.

“I’m coming, Peter!” Chris called, hoping the wolf could hear him. “I don’t care about anything you have to say.” Chris growled at Araya. “Stand aside. Nothing is going to get between me and my Mate.”

Araya spat, “You’re behaving like a wolf and yet you’re a hunter. It’s disgusting, it’s unnatural.” She gave Chris a look of pure loathing. “I should put you down, it’s going to be either you or me, but I made her a promise.”

“Who did you promise? Why are you doing this?”

“Your wife.” Araya chuckled at the expression of shock in Chris’s eyes. “You think she would just stand by all those years when you betrayed her with a wolf?  You think she didn’t know Peter Hale would be a temptation when you moved back to Beacon Hills even in a coma. You think she didn’t know you visited him?”

“You’re wrong. Victoria knew, yes.” Chris swallowed. “She understood. She-.”

“She asked me to take care of Peter Hale should he ever be mentioned in the same breath as your name again.” Araya chuckled. “And then I got the word from your father, and he ranted about a marriage.” She scoffed. “You have betrayed the hunter code entirely.”

Scott grunted trying to avoid several hunters at once. He hoped Noah would get there soon.

“I don’t believe you.” Chris was distracted enough that he almost got knocked from behind but he was Chris Argent. They didn’t know entirely who they were dealing with. Chris whipped into pure hunter mode and stopped listening. “I’m not just a hunter.” He told Araya as he worked over her people. “I’m a mate, and I know you have no idea what that means, but let me assure you. It means I’m practically a wolf too.” He kicked and hit, shooting one person and then another. “Let me pass.” He got up into her face and flung her against a wall. “Not in every sense of the word, but I may as well be and I am proud of that. But if I ever see you in Beacon Hills again… I’ll let Peter kill you. In fact, I’m not so sure I won’t do that right now.”

Araya’s lips curled into a sneer, “Then if you reject the hunter code I feel no remorse.” A blade slipped out of her sleeve and stuck into Chris. The smell of Argent’s blood pooled onto the knife.

Peter listened, or at least tried to listen to Chris. The voices were just annoying now. Peter huffed out a sigh. Calavera was going on a usual rant and Peter heard Stiles running around as well. Peter sat down and waited.

Stiles rounded a corner and ducked back into a room as more hunters spotted him. How many were there? Stiles shut the door and went to run to the other side, when his foot caught on a carpet and he tripped, falling on his face. “Damn it!” He went to get up, but felt something cold under the carpet. It was a metal hatch. He pounded on it. “Peter?” It was locked. Stiles looked around, he needed a key. But the hunters were about to get in, others had spilled in from the other door.

Three guns were pointed at Stiles, he raised his hands.

“Get up kid.”

Stiles did so and one of them glanced at the hatch. “Curious huh? Maybe we can show you…”

One of them said something over that. “-let her know first?”

The guy in front shook his head. “We don’t need him. Wolf’s ready to flip his lid anyway.” He grabbed Stiles and unlocked the hatch, pulling Stiles down the drop down stairs.

It was dark in the basement and they went down a hall before coming to an open room. Peter sat in it.

Peter sighed. “Stiles….”

Stiles noticed the mountain ash on the floor, met Peter’s eyes and started to struggle as they got closer to the line, scuffing his foot to brush it away.

The hunter holding him complained then noticed what Stiles did and raised his gun.

Peter smiled, his eyes glowed blue and he launched himself at the hunters, slicing their throats. He grabbed the gun, tossed it aside and wrapped his hand around the man’s throat. Then Peter smelled blood. He growled.

“What is it?” Stiles turned to look in the direction of the stairs.

Peter snapped the hunter’s neck and ran for the stairs and the open hatch.

Stiles followed. As he climbed out of the hatch, he heard police sirens.

Chris groaned in pain and they continued to struggle. Araya was a good fighter. One of the best and Chris was already wounded. He kicked her off of him and slid down the hallway with his guns out, firing. She avoided the shots, then used one of her own people to deflect a bullet.

“Stiles!” Scott hollered from outside. Why does he always do this!?! Scott tried charging forward but just got hit with more mountain ash. He roared in frustration hearing the sirens as well. They didn’t have all that long.

Chris was about to go after her again, and then he saw Peter. “Peter!”  He was on the floor panting, guns smoking. The front of his jacket was covered in his own blood. Even if Peter looked a bit crazed, just seeing him there in one piece was a huge relief.

The sound of sirens rang clear. Araya cried out in anger when she saw the wolf was free. Then she backed away in fear looking for a way to escape.  Two of her men got in front of her.

Chris shuddered. He staggered up to his feet. Luckily the wound wasn’t fatal. Just another scar. It did bleed an awful lot though. “Peter!” He called again. Unsure if the wolf believed it was him or not. He felt an overwhelming need to touch Peter, not just be within a few feet of him, but to touch him and know that he was real. He wanted to prove that he was real to the wolf. Leaned against a wall.

Stiles heard Scott call his name. He got up and reached for the closest weapon, a candlestick holder from a bookcase. He ran outside. Scott was surrounded by hunters. Stiles hit one in the back of the head with the candlestick holder, then another, and another. They were all focused on Scott.

Peter snarled, tearing through the men, catching a few bullets in his shoulder, but he didn’t care, didn’t stop. He slammed Calavera against the wall, growling in her face. Peter turned when he heard Chris.

The wolf forgot all about the hunter and went over to Chris. Peter reached out a cautious hand, felt the black pain rippled up his arm and embraced Chris. This was real. Chris was real, the other Chris wouldn’t have let him take his pain. “Mine.” Peter tucked his nose into Chris’s neck. Peter felt like crying.

Scott exclaimed loudly, “Stiles!” He got hit in the face by one of the men just as the police cars finally drove up and growled loudly when one of the men tried to grab at Stiles.

La Calavera pulled another gun, moving quickly when Peter turned his back. Chris wrapped one arm around Peter and fired his gun before she could fire at him with the wolfs bane bullets.  She went down with a curse. Chris didn’t bat an eyelid.

Chris holstered the gun and wrapped one arm around Peter. “Hey, hey it’s alright. It’s me.” He stroked Peter’s hair gently and trembled. He was so relieved they’d got there in time before anything else happened to him. He kissed Peter’s forehead. “We have to get out of here. Noah’s going to arrest everyone left. I need to get you out of this place.” He knew what the wolf would need and they had to get home quickly. The rest of the pack would want to make sure Peter was okay as well, especially Allison. “Come on, let’s go.”

Chris let Peter cling to him on the way outside where the hunters were all being arrested.

Scott breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Peter was intact. “You’re okay.” He kind of ignored the fact that he’d been shot a few times himself, and tried hard to not be embarrassed by the fact that he had finally let the link between him and Peter form. “Mr. Argent?”  

“You did well, Scott.” Chris gave him a proud smile. He’d give Peter his jacket for modesty, but it was covered in his own blood.

So Scott gave him his jacket and looked somewhat uncomfortable doing it. They waited for Noah.

Stiles ducked out of the way, but someone grabbed his shirt and yanked. A shot rang out and Stiles looked around. The guy was dead. Stiles turned to his dad, whose gun was smoking. Stiles went to thank him, but Noah held up a hand.

“Keep back, I don’t want you getting hurt. Get Scott out of here as soon as you can, I don’t need people asking questions.” Noah advanced further on the property.

Peter turned to Calavera, then back to Chris. “I know…” Peter clung to Chris. “Finally it’s really you.” Peter nodded. The sooner he could leave, the sooner the drug would finish leaving his system.

Peter took the jacket, he didn’t mind being shirtless, but another wolf’s scent would help. Peter placed the jacket on his shoulders. Peter wanted to ask why Scott had been congratulated for a good job, but figured it had to do with opening the bond back up. It was hard to think.

Stiles came over, he had checked the unconscious guys for id and dragged his shoe through dirt to hide claws marks from Scott. “We need to make sure the others are OK…” He pulled out his phone and texted Lydia. **Peter’s fine. U?**  

Noah came up to the group, the deputies were clearing the house and making sure all the weapons were secure. “Anything I need to know that I don’t already?” He had seen a few bodies with torn throats. “Most importantly, are other hunters going to come looking for retribution?”

“What do you mean it’s really me? Of course it’s me.” Chris kept his arm around Peter comfortingly. He looked at his phone and texted Allison **. Peter’s okay. Taking him back to the apartment. Send others there. We cut off the head of the hunters.**

To Noah he shook his head, “Doubtful. This will send a powerful message, and at any rate the Calaveras don’t have that many friends this side of the border. You’ll find most of the houses will have illegal documents and weapons. You can get them on that.” Chris kept his arm around Peter.  He just really needed to get him home and wrapped up. Himself, he just needed another bandage, maybe more stitches.

Lydia responded to Stiles: **We’re fine. The wolves have all taken blows and Boyd is out cold in the trunk, but they look worse than it feels. Where should we go?**

Chris looked at the Sheriff then Stiles and Scott. “I just want to get Peter home, I don’t know what they did to him in there but you may also find … instruments of torture.”

Scott actually smiled at Peter, then bounded over to Stiles and hugged him. “Don’t do things like that!” He said reproachfully. “Are you okay?” He looked him up and down, too distracted by the idea of Stiles being hurt to notice he might actually be hurt.

A shiver of pain raced up Peter’s body. “I’ll tell you later.” He clung to Chris. Peter didn’t care what that looked like, he had to make sure Chris was real and not going to leave.

Noah nodded. “Good. I don’t need anything like this again for a while, but I doubt I’ll be so lucky.” Noah noticed the blood on Peter’s fingers. “I’ll make sure they’re documented and destroyed. I doubt they’d do anything more than collect dust in the evidence storage.”

 **Argent says his place**. Stiles didn’t get to type more as he had his arms full of Scott. “Do what? I helped you. I helped Peter. And I’m not going to stand back and watch you get your fluffy butt kicked.” Stiles nodded. “I’m fine, maybe sore from running, but they didn’t get a shot at me.” Stiles poked Scott. “What about you?”

Noah cleared his throat. “Boys, I really need you off the premises. You can check in with Melissa when you get back. I think we all want Mr. Hale to get home safe though.”

Peter smiled softly, a broken smile.

As soon as they were far enough away, Peter handed Scott his jacket back.

Chris put the keys to his truck in Stiles’s hands. “Stiles, drive.” He helped Peter into the back seat. The last thing he was going to do is drive when Peter was like this. “Thank you.” He nodded to Noah. “I’ll answer any questions you have tomorrow.”

Scott just hugged Stiles and nuzzled him. “I’m the werewolf.  I’m supposed to save YOU dude.” He poked Stiles and urged him towards the car.

Once in the car he let Peter get as close as possible to him. “You can tell me later. Right now, the pack will want to make sure you’re okay. Do you think you can handle that?” Chris grimaced slightly at his own wound but let Peter curl onto his lap if he needed to. “Only for a little while, then we’ll be alone. Scott, I see bullet holes in your shirt. Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Scott nodded, he’d taken his jacket back from Peter. “Not wolfs bane, but it hurts like a son of a bitch. I’ll be fine.” He assured Stiles. “I actually texted mom to be at Argent’s apartment. She can take care of us.”

Noah glanced at Stiles.

“I’ll be careful.”

“You better be. I don’t want you in the hospital…”

Stiles snorted at Scott. “Bye dad! Thanks for the help!”

Noah sighed and shook his head, walking off.

“All of them?” It had been so long since there had been a group wanting to make sure he was alright. Peter felt dizzy. “I’m not sure.” He shivered. Peter pressed close to Chris. “You better be prepared for me not leaving your side for a while,” he muttered.

Stiles’s head whipped around. “What?” Stiles pulled the same disbelieving look his dad had just given him. “Uh huh.” Stiles sighed. “Fine. As long as she says you’re alright…” He started the car and drove them back to the Argent’s apartment.

Peter closed his eyes and let the silence and Chris’s scent lull him to sleep.

*TBC*

 

 


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After all the angst and drama... 
> 
> Peter deserves some nice things.

They’d come home and there was immediate need for some wound cleaning up an shirt changing, but once that was done Chris got Peter comfortable on the couch. Melissa was already working on Scott’s bullets in the bathroom and a few scrapes that Allison had to deal with. Derek was standing by the fireplace drinking a cognac. Naturally none of the kids were allowed any alcohol, except Lydia who just eye rolled when Chris made a note. No one ever told Lydia what to do. Peter was still in and out and Chris didn’t leave his side. He was presently propped up with several pillows, an ottoman for his feet. Given a fresh shirt and sleep pants and wrapped in a blanket. Everyone wanted to bring Peter something. Any protests were ignored. “They’ll go soon, Peter.” Chris told him whenever the wolf looked uncomfortable with so many people in the apartment paying attention to him.

Derek looked gruff as he sat down as close as possible without being on the couch and tried hard not to make it obvious that he just wanted to be near his uncle who was very nearly killed again.  Boyd and Erica had already made their entrance and exit which made it a little easier to deal with. Erica just wanted to get Boyd home so she could tend to him. Cora sat on Peter’s other side, occasionally holding his hand but mostly chattering about how she was signed up to start classes soon and make-up courses. Of course, she also sent a few flirtatious glances Isaac’s way. Isaac lurked and Stiles was with Scott and Melissa in the bathroom. They could be heard by the whole group.

“Well it’s not like I deliberately ran into a haze of gunfire mom, ow!” Scott complained.

“Suck it up, kid. I know once I get these out the pain will go away.” Melissa tsked, she had left Scott until last since the humans had needed treatment first. Since Allison’s had been taken care of she was shooed out. Melissa had also been thoughtful enough to arrange food and had brought all kinds of things with her. Chris had also gathered some of it to put on the coffee table in front of Peter.

Lydia scooted so Allison had a place to sit. She hadn’t hugged Peter, but she and Cora kept the conversation going about school and classes.

Chris had his arm around Peter. He’d draw the wolf a bath once everyone left but for now it was important to let the pack make sure he was okay and lend him their strength.

“So, when is the wedding going to be, Mr. Argent?” Lydia asked once the school subject had exhausted itself.

“We haven’t actually decided yet.” Chris glanced at Peter. “Anytime, I guess.”

“Anytime, he says.” Lydia laughed softly. “These things have to be planned, you know.” She showed how much she did care by wrapping her arms around Allison and holding her close.

“Now’s not the time to discuss it.” Chris retorted, stroking Peter’s arm.  He knew the wolf wasn’t used to all this attention he was getting and people looking at him like he was important to them. “But yes, something soon. As long as Peter wants it, that is.”

“Are you going to be Mr. Hale or is he going to be Mr. Argent?” Lydia wondered innocently enough.

“I’ll be Mr. Argent-Hale, actually.” Chris kept up with Lydia’s banter pretty easily.

That got them some astonished looks from those not in the know.

Peter could still feel the drug fighting through his body. He tried to ignore it by focusing on the pack, even if it did feel like he was being bombarded by their emotions. Peter huffed. “I’m just not used to this.” He hadn’t been for a long time. Even before the fire, the only ones that cared about him were Derek, Cora, and Laura and her children. Having more than half a dozen people to care for him, a mate and his daughter, Peter didn’t know what to say.

Peter glanced at Cora. “Since when did you get this chatty?” He smiled. He could see the looks she was sending Isaac. “If you want to do something about that, you’ll have to talk to Derek. He’s the Alpha after all.”

Peter itched to get up. He didn’t want to stay in his blanket cocoon for a long time. He knew what Chris was doing but all Peter could reflect on was the heavy set blankets that had been wrapped around him when he was in the coma. He needed to move.

Stiles sat on the toilet, leg bouncing. “Why did you let me in here again?” He stared at the floor. If he looked up, his stomach was going to roll at the sight of Mrs. McCall prying the bullets from Scott. “You know I can’t deal with stuff like this.”

Peter leaned forward and grabbed some food. Anything to move and wiggle out of the blankets. The wedding, Peter had almost forgotten about that. He traced the ring on his finger.

Allison embraced Lydia back. “You’re not going to plan their wedding for them, are you?” Allison glanced at her dad. “Does that mean I’ll have to change my name too?”

Isaac wandered around, trying not to get in anyone’s way. He wasn’t sure what to say or how to help Peter. The looks from Cora were a surprise. Isaac leaned against the fireplace, near Derek, hoping his presence was enough.

Derek just stared at Chris in disbelief. He had never expected the man would entirely give up the Argent name but he did appreciate that he didn’t force Peter to take it.

Chris felt Peter’s anxiety and tried to reassure him, he loosened the blanket and smiled at him when he touched the ring. It would all be over soon, they’d be gone in another half an hour or something. He wondered if there was something else going on, Peter hadn’t been very talkative. He leaned in and nuzzled Peter’s neck gently with his knuckles.  He tried to convey reassurance as best he could. “I know you’re not.” Chris smiled at him. “You’re doing fine. Not if you don’t want to, Allison. For obvious reasons, I wouldn’t ever expect Peter to take my name.”

Lydia gave a somewhat wicked grin. “Awe…That’s adorable. I’d get my phone for a pic, but my hands are full.” She smiled at Allison. “Only if they want me to.” Her hands were comfortably busy.

Derek glanced between Cora and Isaac and frowned. He apparently didn’t like that idea for one reason or other. Derek’s watched in fascination as Chris handled Peter. He’d never seen anyone have any positive affect on his uncle. It was almost surreal. It was as if Peter was changing before his very eyes and becoming the uncle he remembered and trusted. It made Derek’s heart swell in spite of himself. He didn’t want to stop Isaac from finding someone who could give him what Derek couldn’t. But he needed Isaac and didn’t want to share him. It wasn’t up to him, though. If Isaac wanted his sister, Derek was not going to get in the way. “Just don’t expect me to give Peter away or something.” Yes, he actually cracked a joke.

Cora’s eyebrows climbed.

“Because otherwise Scott fidgets too much and I can’t finish what I’m doing. Are you hurt at all Stiles?” Melissa asked. “Do I need to fix anything?”  Melissa sometimes wondered how she had become defacto doctor for the pack.

Scott whined at Melissa and sighed. The last one finally came out and he exhaled in relief. “Thanks, Mom.” He beamed at her and she ruffled his hair.

The blanket dropped and Peter sighed. It was such a relief to not felt stuck or trapped. Peter didn’t mean to do it, but he flinched when Chris touched his neck. The phantom Chris had touched there, held him there. Peter knew this wasn’t the same, but he was doubting himself. Peter swallowed with a click. “I don’t feel like it, I don’t feel *fine*.” Peter snorted. “I like being a Hale, whatever that means now. Even if your name was something ordinary I would think very hard about taking it.” He tried to smile, to convey that he was joking.

“You’re enjoying this way too much,” Allison told Lydia with a smile. “Ask first at least?” She didn’t know how well Peter would take it to have Lydia thrust wedding plans on him, especially if they were different from what he wanted.

Isaac laughed. He stood up, a little uncomfortable. He would leave, but had no way of getting back to the loft on his own unless he walked. And being in the loft would mean being with Derek and Cora. Isaac wasn’t sure if he wanted to deal with them both right now. He wandered off into the apartment.

“Scott never had a problem being alone when you did this before,” Stiles mumbled. He shook his head. “I’m fine, just scraped my knees I think.” Stiles let out a breath. “Thank God it’s over.” He got up, ready to leave the bathroom.

“I like being an Argent.” Chris admitted with a small shrug. “But I _love_ you, and you’re worth more to me than any name.” He gave a small smile and removed his hand from Peter’s neck when he flinched away. He took in what the bond was giving him and not giving him and looked concerned for a moment but relaxed. Peter was completely not used to this kind of attention and probably only putting up with it because he had to. He tried hard not to let how much it hurt that he flinched away. They didn’t know what happened but Noah had called to mention it looked grim and he was concerned about Peter’s mental state based on everything they had found.

Lydia yawned, “Of course.” She was shrewd and she could generally sense what was going on. “Mr. Argent, I need to get home. My mom just texted me. Can Allison drive me?”

Chris looked at Peter and looked back at Allison. “I’m sure that’s fine. Allison, if you don’t mind, I think you should stay with Lydia tonight.” That was dad speak for _we need alone time_. Actually it was more like _Peter needs space_ , but he wasn’t going to clarify.

As they walked out they ran into Isaac of course. Scott pulled his shirt over his now rapidly healing wounds. “Mom knows what she is doing but you weren’t my mate before, and the wolf kind of wants you there.” He grumbled and looked nonplussed because he always expects Isaac to needle him about it. “Well, it’s true.”

Melissa smiled brightly at Isaac, “Well all this food better not go to waste, boys.” She gestured to it. “Why don’t you grab a few things and come back to our place and hang out.” She put her arm around Scott and Isaac respectively and ushered them back into the living room. Lydia has nothing on Mamma McCall. “Looks like you two have some things to work out. You don’t mind, do you Derek? Of course he doesn’t mind.”

Cora looked over at her brother when he got up. “We should get going too.” She squeezed Peter’s hand. “Come by the loft when you’re feeling better, Uncle Peter.” She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. “I don’t know what we’d do if we lost you again. Come on, Derek.”

Derek tried not to look in the direction of Scott, Stiles and Isaac. “Alright,” he mumbled. He reached over and squeezed Peter’s shoulder. “It’s good to have you back.” And what he meant was that his uncle was behaving more like his old self. “You can go with them if you want, Isaac.” He said casually, though there was a slight twitch to his voice.

Peter smiled. He liked hearing that, that Chris would give up what made him a noted hunter for a Hale. Peter didn’t mean to react how he had, he was just uneasy, he knew it was the remains of the drug. Really though all Peter wanted was to sleep. It would help so much, even if he knew in the back of his mind he wasn’t going to sleep well or likely not at all. Peter picked at some food and tried not to move again.

Allison rolled her eyes at Lydia. “Didn’t even have to ask to get me alone with you this time,” she muttered. She patted Lydia’s thigh. “If we are leaving though, you have to get up.”

“Well I can’t exactly argue with your wolf, but next time don’t be surprised if I puke or something.” Stiles bumped into Scott as he stopped to talk to Isaac.

Isaac was about to say something before Mrs. McCall steered him back. He wanted to protest, but found that he couldn’t, didn’t want to. He picked up some food, just to show he had heard her and maybe he was a little hungry.

Stiles’ eyebrows rose. “Wow, no one’s handled Isaac like that, well except for Derek and Lydia and Allison…”

Peter smiled at Cora. “You didn’t lose me the first time.” She hadn’t been in Beacon Hills and it was probably for the best. “And it’ll take more than that to get rid of me.” He nibbled on some more food.

Peter glanced up at Derek, a little surprised.

“Do we need to go on more life threatening missions to get Derek to talk?” Stiles was just as surprised.

Isaac heard the way Derek’s voice wavered. “I kind of want to stay with Derek, if that’s alright with you Mrs. McCall?” He wouldn’t deny his Alpha, not when he sounded hurt at the prospect of not having his beta around. Besides Isaac didn’t want to talk to Scott.

Lydia pouted and stood up, “Alright then. Let’s give your Dads some privacy.”

And that was Chris’s cue to step up the game here before someone protested or lashed out and things got out of hand. “Okay, everyone. Thank you for coming. Thank you for helping, and I honestly mean that from the bottom of my heart. But as you can see Peter’s fine, now get the hell out and give him some space. I love you, kid. Don’t stay up late.” He gave Allison a quick hug.

Melissa eyed Stiles. “Just because I’m not your mom don’t think I won’t get Scott to swat you upside the head, Stiles.” She whispered, forgetting that werewolves have super hearing. “Cut Isaac some slack, kid. He’s had it rough. Oh, and Derek too.”

Scott looked disgruntled. “Mom! I’m not going to swat Stiles for you.”

“Good.” Cora finger wiggled and linked her arm with Derek’s. “Come on, big bro. I think you’re not actually scoring any points with your Beta. Maybe smile more?” She could take the hint from Isaac and just gave him a flirtatious but no longer serious wink. “Don’t worry, I actually rented myself an apartment, took over Peter’s lease.” She looked a bit smug at that. “Not that I don’t love you guys but all of us in that loft, ugh.”

Lydia stared at her. “You rented an apartment? You’re seventeen?!”

Cora just looked smug. “Well, Peter’s paying mostly. And since he couldn’t exactly cut his lease short, I took over. I promised him I’d go back to school in exchange.” Sorry Uncle, you’ve been ratted out as a good guy. “So that means,” Cora patted Derek’s arm. “I can go back there and you can have Isaac to yourself.”

Derek actually did smile, at Isaac. It was short-lived but there. He wasn’t a ‘confess your heart’ kind of guy but yeah, that smile. It was appreciated. And then Cora spoke and he sighed and pressed his lips together in his typical, ‘I am not amused’ expression. Really, if he only knew how expressive his face was and how easy it was to read. “Okay, we’re going,” he muttered.

Scott just looked confused. “Isaac and Derek? When did that happen?”

Lydia face-palmed.

“Dads?” Allison blinked, the realization that once Peter and her father got married then Peter would be her step dad. She got up. She smiled and hugged back. “I’m sure Lydia will make sure I’m asleep at a decent time.”

Stiles gawked. “I didn’t mean, I wasn’t-I know that. I saw Derek pry a bullet out of his arm. It was nasty. But it’s not my fault if Isaac’s a dick.” Stiles didn’t know when to keep his mouth shut.

Isaac didn’t have time to react to Stiles, he stared at Cora. Then he turned to Derek. Did Derek actually want to…? Was Cora teasing?

Peter sighed, glancing at Cora. “I understand the pain of living with family, I can’t have you living on the street.” He was tired now, he just wanted to crawl into bed with Chris and never come back out. He needed to heal and he wanted his mate. And cuddles.

Ok so Cora wasn’t teasing. Isaac blushed. He followed Derek to the door.

“Probably because we gave him the cold shoulder?” Stiles supplied. “Or he didn’t want to wait and-no Isaac’s still our age…But we’re mates, I don’t know if werewolves can have more than one, maybe Derek couldn’t interfere with your claim on me.”

“I love you too, Uncle Peter.” Cora wiggled her fingers.

“Stiles!” Scott blushed. “Uhm. It’s not like that, I don’t-.” He had zero clue what to say so he just shut his mouth, resisting the urge to grip Stiles and kiss him to stop him from talking.

Melissa helped Chris make sure the apartment was cleared out in record time, taking both Scott and Stiles by the ear and getting them the hell out of there before Stiles made Isaac mad. “Come on you two. Move it.”

Derek just simply stuck his hands in his leather jacket pockets and started walking as though he expected to be followed. He gave a jerk of his head to indicate Isaac come with them. “We’ll drop Cora off.” And with that they were gone.

Lydia also helped Allison retrieve an overnight bag and quickly dragged her out of the apartment. “I think it’s cool, actually. I know someone with two Dads.”

Chris sighed in relief when he finally got rid of them all and locked the door. He looked back at the couch, “Alright, up.” He moved his hand. “Want a bath? Or right to bed?” He’d clean up the living room tomorrow. All he wanted to do right now was spend time with his fiancé who clearly needed attention. He wasn’t sure what kind, but whatever Peter needed. “I didn’t expect them to stay as long as they did.”

He gave Peter a small smile. “I know it’s a stupid question, but are you alright? Is there anything I can get you?”  He came a little closer but wasn’t really sure what Peter wanted.

Peter shook his head at Cora.

“What? Isn’t like what?” Stiles didn’t understand why Scott was so flustered. “Not a werewolf so I don’t understand-did I say something wrong?” Stiles whined when Melissa grabbed his ear. “Ow, hey…See you later.” He took Scott’s hand and turned to walk down the hall.

Isaac jogged to the door, following Derek. He was kind of interested to see Cora’s apartment. Isaac tried not to smile at the thought of being alone with Derek.

Allison packed as fast as she could and laughed as Lydia pulled her to the door. “Bye dad! Bye Peter! Well not yet, they have to get married first.”

Peter groaned as he stood up, shedding the blankets. “I should probably do both. I don’t smell like you. I don’t mind, but-” Peter shivered. He whined, the last remnants of phantom Chris ran his fingers over Peter’s body. Peter dug his claws into his palms. “No I’m-I’m not.” Peter stepped closer to Chris and embraced him. Peter inhaled Chris’s scent. He didn’t want to let go.

With the others gone and safely back to their homes. Chris had Peter to himself again.

Chris just nodded, glad to have the rest of them gone so he could focus his attention entirely on Peter. He wrapped his arms around Peter and held him tightly. “It’s alright, I’d be surprised if you were. What if we took a bath together? Would that be alright?” Chris didn’t want to press too much and knew that Peter would talk when he felt able to, Chris was sure. He wanted to touch Peter but he didn’t want to cause any stress either. He wasn’t sure what was going on but he had an idea. Back when he was training he’d seen Gerard do things to werewolves to try and get them to give information about their numbers or pack. Chris didn’t resort to those things unless it was absolutely necessary.

Chris reached up to touch Peter’s face and trace it gently with his thumb. “You’re safe now, I’ve got you. You’re home.” He would repeat that until Peter believed it if necessary. “I can’t promise something like this won’t happen again. We are what we are. But I will always be waiting for you, I will always look for you and I will always do whatever it takes to get you back home. That much, I _can_ promise.”

Peter breathed, trying to control how his stomach lurched at the fading smell of fire. “Yes.” He didn’t want to be alone. Peter shivered at Chris’s touch, before he grabbed Chris’s wrist. Peter sighed, closing his eyes. “I just want to be sure this is real.” The drug was finally leaving his system, but it wasn’t going without a fight and he had a headache.

The added reassurance from the kids being here had helped Peter mostly in healing. They couldn’t fix his head. “Prove it to me, please,” Peter whispered. The ghosts were giving a final death howl and Peter winced. He covered his ears. He just had to wait and they’d go away and he’d be alone with Chris.

“I don’t know how, but I know that I can make you feel better.” Chris told him gently. “Come with me. Let me take care of you.”  He stepped closer, took both of Peter’s hands and then nudged his chin up to kiss him. He took his time with the kiss, rolling his tongue and gently seeking to convey warmth and love through the bond. He tried to be gentle but he also tried to be forceful, to pull Peter back to him. He tugged on Peter’s lip as he broke the kiss.

Chris held Peter’s hand and took him into the bathroom. He ran the bathwater, keeping hold of Peter the entire time. Speaking gently he helped get Peter’s clothes off, kissing him after each article of clothing was removed. He kissed Peter every chance he got, not just on his lips. He let Peter help him take his own clothes off and by the time they were done, the bath water was ready. “Go on, get in. Do you want me to be in front or behind you?”

Only the real Chris would give him the choice.

Peter gasped as he felt warm lips on his own. Peter whimpered. The warmth spread down Peter’s spine and he clung to it. He clung to Chris. Peter opened his eyes and he was still in the apartment with Chris. Peter shuddered. The drug was gone. Finally. Peter sighed.

Peter leaned into Chris’s touch and he smiled softly as they got undressed. Peter ran his hands into Chris’s hair as he got close to undress him. Peter hummed, thinking. “Behind.” That way Chris could keep a hold Peter, keep him grounded in case he needed it. Peter didn’t want to let go of this warmth, Chris’s love. Peter fiddled with the ring on his finger. “They tried to take this from me.” That had hurt the most, because he had to give it up. He could deal with his messed up mind and the torture, but affairs of the heart…Peter was too easily broken there. “I’ve gotten too soft.” He climbed into the bath.

Chris got in behind him and let him settle. The first thing he did was pick up some shampoo to wash Peter’s hair. “They can’t take my love, Peter, and I don’t think you’re soft. I think you just have more to lose now.” He drew warm water over Peter’s hair to rinse out the suds. “Now you can be vulnerable if people know the right buttons to push. It’s not weakness actually.” He tried to get Peter to understand.  “It’s power to have people behind you, but I’ve already told you that. The cost of it is vulnerability. It’s a two edged sword but worth it.”

The hunter knew Peter felt like shit because the hunters had captured him and been able to torture him by using love against him. That he felt like he had somehow lost his edge. It was shame to him, somehow. Chris was a little worried this would seem like a good reason for him to withdraw to himself again. “You’re not weak, Peter. You haven’t lost your edge. You’ve just gained a new one. A new purpose. You’re a mate, an uncle and you’ve got a pack again. Those hunters? They just took you by surprise and that can happen to everyone.”

He kept moving his hands, drawing warm water over Peter’s skin with his fingers, soothing the wolf. “Soon you’ll also be a husband, and a step-father and there is no one on this earth I would trust with my daughter’s life more than you.”

Peter snorted. “That’s helpful.” He thought he heard Kate mention how he looked like a drowned rat, but Chris was talking again. “That sounds exactly like weakness.” Peter crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like being vulnerable. He swore Kate laughed. He sighed, he thought the drug was out of his system.

“It’s happened before, it shouldn’t have happened again!” Peter knew snapping at Chris was wrong. But Chris didn’t understand. Being taken by hunters was one thing, being drugged and tortured by them was nothing. He felt helpless during the fire and he didn’t want to feel that again. Using Chris had just made him extremely aware of how much he had changed. “How can you still love me when I’m not who I was?” Peter didn’t need the ghosts to bother him, he was his own worst enemy right now

Peter leaned back into Chris, purring. “Really?” Peter swallowed. He was going to be a step-father, Chris trusted him and loved him enough to let Allison be in his care. “I could handle the torture but they firmly thought I was no good, not worthy to be with you. Which is stupid. But Victoria…” Peter sighed.

“To you it might sound like weakness, but that’s what your brain is used to.” Chris smiled. “It’s not. Believe me.” He kept his hands moving, gliding over Peter’s skin, briefly caressing his cock. His nails gently dragged over the top of Peter’s thighs in little circles but that was as far as he could reach. It was an effort to remind Peter that only he knew what the wolf liked.

“Yes, Really. Allison’s warming up to you, too. What about Victoria?” He kissed Peter’s cheek. “It’s no one’s decision but mine whether or not you’re worthy to be with me. You’re never going to be like you were but that does not mean I cannot love what you have become. I’m not exactly perfect either, you know. Sometimes I can’t believe how you can love me.”

Chris didn’t like Peter feeling so down on himself but he knew the best way he could help was to be supportive. Give the wolf whatever he needed. Try and just be there.

Peter gasped as Chris touched him. The warmth of the water made it obvious it was real, the warmth. “She betrayed you. Told Calavera about us. Obviously hated me.” Peter smiled softly. “You’re easy to love. I always knew you cared, even if you didn’t show it. Even if it was about Allison, you cared about something and that’s more than I can say about Gerard.” That’s all that mattered.

“The fake you touched me.” Peter took hold of Chris’s hands. “Wanted to fuck me, basically told me I’m a whore. The worst part wasn’t the drugs or the torture, I can handle that. I hated knowing…” That in some other reality Chris never would have hesitated to say those things and mean it. Or that Peter believed what his mind told him. Peter ran a hand up and down Chris’s calf.

Chris stilled at Peter’s words, blood running cold. It felt like a slap in the face and he strove to control the rush of anger and denial that flooded his head. It couldn’t be true. It was impossible. Victoria couldn’t have done that. He looked away from Peter briefly, even as he held Chris’s hands. It would be so easy to shut down the pain but he took a deep breath. And for Peter, for Peter he fought those urges to shut down emotionally and prevailed.

He couldn’t turn around and betray Peter’s trust. He was telling the truth, Chris knew it in his heart. He had to trust Peter. He settled, the bond indicating Chris believed Peter and he was calming down. “I can’t believe she would do something that vindictive to us.” He shuddered out a sob. “I loved her Peter. She obviously didn’t love me. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry she hurt you. I’m so so sorry. I should have taken Allison and run. You’re not a whore. I wanted you back then, so badly, just as much as I want you now. I want you so much sometimes, I can’t see straight.”

“Tell me, Peter, would you let someone else do the things you let me do to you?” Chris asked softly. “I don’t believe you would. So that doesn’t make you a whore. That makes you mine. My Mate. Only mine.”

Peter felt Chris’s reaction through the bond. “I didn’t believe it either but Calavera seemed certain. I’m sorry.” Peter turned around to face Chris. “I know you did.” Peter stroked Chris’s face. Peter snorted. “Well that can’t be good, you need your eyes to see straight to aim.” Peter looked away from Chris. “Depends on what they’re asking for.” But Peter knew Chris was right, no one else would be allowed to entertain the thought of putting a collar on Peter if they wanted to keep limbs.

Peter kissed Chris. “And you’re mine. My strong mate who’s betraying his whole way of life to be with me. Do you realize how much that means to me?” Peter was proud of Chris for not shutting out his emotions, or at least trying to. Now that he said what happened, the ghosts were gone, he felt much like himself again. At least this self that came from the fire. He’d never be who he was from before the fire again. “Let’s finish up here and go to bed.” Peter wanted to curl up with Chris and forget the last few days.

“I do,” Chris nodded gently.  He carefully wrapped his arms around Peter into a tight hug. “We are each other’s strength. I know, Peter. I wish I had realized it a lot sooner than I did. Come on.” He gets up out of the bath first and finds a couple of towels. With a soft look he helps Peter out and rubs him down dry, kissing his skin every now and then. He knew he didn’t need to say anything else. They had managed to avoid another disaster.

He couldn’t imagine what he might have had to do if anything had happened to Peter. He just didn’t want to focus on anything that depressing. As for Victoria, Chris would keep that all under wraps. “I’d rather Allison not be told about what Victoria did. She’s still her mother and she still visits Victoria’s grave. I don’t want to give her any more family drama if I can prevent it.” He decided with a nod. “I’d like to just keep it between us if you don’t mind.”

It was probably not a good idea to keep secrets, but Allison had been through so much already. He led Peter by the hand to the bed. He just didn’t want to give her more pain. He pulled down the covers and fluffed a pillow. He didn’t want to sleep in clothes, he would just sleep naked with Peter in his arms. He just wanted to hold his mate and wake up the next morning to Peter’s scent.

Peter hummed. He didn’t blame Chris for not knowing. Neither of them had known. Peter waited for a moment, then climbed out. He didn’t need Chris’s help, but wasn’t going to turn it down either. Peter couldn’t remember the last time he had been this relaxed and at ease. “Of course.”

Peter could feel Chris’s worry about Allison and her finding out. Peter put a hand on Chris’s shoulder. “We’ll tell her when it’s important. Everyone needs to just take a day or two to get back to normal. Then go from there.” Peter nuzzled Chris. “My mate. My brave, strong mate.”

Peter crawled into bed first. Chris’s scent enveloped him and he sighed, tucking a pillow sideways under his head and rolling onto his side. He left his back bare for Chris to press against.

Chris turned out the light and slid up behind Peter. He held the man in his arms and pressed his chin to rest against Peter’s shoulder and neck. He kissed the side of his head. “I could sleep for a week.” He ran his hands up and down Peter’s side then draped it around his waist. He fitted himself just up against Peter’s ass and gave a soft sigh.

He couldn’t believe how much his life had changed in the past year. He knew he had aged after losing Victoria and it showed. But gaining Peter? He felt ten years younger. Oddly, he was seriously considering getting Scott to bite him. In the past he would never have done it, but soon he wouldn’t be an Argent. And Peter? Peter deserved to have someone with him for a long time. He petted the wolf’s hair gently. Maybe a wedding present? There was no guarantee he would survive though Alice’s spell suggested that she had engineered it so he would.

He would rather it be Scott than something accidental turning him into one. Lately he’d been feeling more wolf than man but that was largely due to the bond, he was sure. The idea of being one was more and more appealing the more time passed in his new life with Peter. “We all do.” He agreed. “You can work with Lydia for the wedding plans. I’ll be fine with whatever you decide. As long as we don’t walk down the aisle nude.”

Peter smiled and humphed in agreement. Peter purred softly as Chris settled against him. Peter didn’t want to sleep, but before he realized it, he was closing his eyes. It was nice to have Chris’s warmth back. Peter had really missed him. The wolf whimpered and lay down, needing to rest for the mental wounds to heal.

“Hmmm?” Peter turned towards Chris, opening his eyes. He snorted. “The only one allowed to see you naked is me. I’m not sharing.” He placed his hand over Chris’s. “Now sleep.” Peter closed his eyes again and fell asleep quickly.

It wasn’t as easy for Chris to fall asleep. The revelations had made him uneasy. He was not really sure how he felt about any of it. It felt better to have Peter there in his arms, to know he was safe. Safe from the manipulations of his father and from Victoria’s hand beyond the grave. He wondered how much of that was true. He did not believe she harbored any ill will towards him. At first, yes, Victoria had been angry with him but she had understood in the end. Their marriage had been a good one. They were partners and they raised Allison together. He could not believe the woman who had died in his arms by his own hand capable of such things. He could not have been so wrong. But what reason did La Calavera have to lie?

It pained him to think about it but why lie. Chris stared at the wolf while he slept. Peter had been so close to giving up. Chris didn’t know what he’d do if he lost Peter. He tightened his grip on his fiancé. He’d never been closer to anyone else. He’d never been able to feel what someone else felt and to hear what his desires were. It wasn’t telepathy, what they had. More like synergy. He knew what Peter wanted without the man having to say anything. He’d known Peter was in pain. If they didn’t have it, didn’t have the bond, he might never have found him until it was too late. He couldn’t imagine that outcome.

“I’m not sharing either,” Chris told Peter softly. For better or worse, with or without a piece of paper that linked them together he belonged to Peter now.

“I love you.” Chris wouldn’t stop saying that. “Good night, sweetheart.”

 

 


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their lives continue on without further interruption by Gerard and the other hunters for now.   
> Peter considers his future for the first time rather than the here and now.   
> Chris gets a suspicious text message.

A few days later:

Peter finished moving in. He grumbled about all his stuff being left in the parking garage, but once it was upstairs he stopped complaining. Then once he was settled, he took a day and played housewife. And got super bored. He didn’t mind being there when Chris and Allison came home but it was strange. Allison certainly thought so. So Peter set out to find a job.

He knew being dead and in a coma had put a dent in his resume but no mater he was going to get that fixed. First he needed to finish getting his PhD in North American history particularly in migration patterns in the 17th and 18th centuries. Mostly he wanted an excuse to track the Hale family history some more. There were heirlooms that had escaped the fire in storage that were first-hand accounts from the Civil War, diaries, letters, rare pictures, etc.

In the meantime, there were wedding plans too. Lydia had realized with school she would need more than two weeks to plan the wedding and was figuring sometime in November instead. Halloween was approaching too, which meant a dance and the teens wondering if it was cool to dress up or not. That meant Peter was under some stress but at least it let him forget the nightmares he had.

For Chris, having a few days to recuperate from the latest trauma was a good thing. He liked having Peter’s things around too, it felt more like a home with the three of them in the apartment. He was starting to feel like they should get a house at some point. Not right now though. The apartment was in a convenient location and very secure. It was a little surreal coming home to Peter that first day, and he felt like he was living in some pleasant alternate universe. Yet Allison had smiled too when she came home and there was a home cooked meal. He hadn’t really expected it at all. Peter just didn’t seem the type to be a housewife, but he didn’t seem to mind dealing with all the wedding planning.

He was a little worried, Peter had woken up abruptly a couple of times and didn’t want to talk about it. Chris wondered if reality was setting in too quickly for Peter. Maybe he had pushed the moving in part too soon. Marriage? He hoped not. It was just new. So when he came home a couple of days later and found Peter not home yet, he was both surprised and not. He reached out with the bond to make sure Peter was okay and he was fine so Chris didn’t push more.

Chris went about his usual routine after work and set about attempting to make dinner. He probably should just wait until Peter came home but he could make some things. He wasn’t that bad, just not fancy. He could manage something simple. In the end, he decided to just wait for Peter and Allison to get home and work out in the meantime.  He left a note and headed down to the gym. He wasn’t the only one to have that idea. Several of the other apartment owners were down there at this time.

He sent a text to let Peter know he was down in the gym.

Chris did get attention, as usual. He was used to that though, so thought nothing of it.

Peter had been out talking with colleges, they wanted to see how serious he was about finishing his PhD, considering his six year absence. Though a few seemed interested when he mentioned he was a Hale and would be making a large donation while he was back in class. He had options. But it had been enough interviews for one day and it was already after four.

Peter went back home. He felt his heart swell each time he thought of the apartment as home. It was nice to have a home again. Allison wasn’t home just yet, Lydia had her at the mall to pick out dresses for the upcoming dance. Peter just walked in the door when his phone buzzed. It was a text from Chris. He was in the gym. Peter really didn’t want to make a big deal of it. Chris liked this place because of the gym so he could work out. But, a voice said in the back of Peter’s mind. What if someone hit on Chris while he was there? Would they know he’s engaged? Before Peter knew what he was doing, he was leaving to go down to the gym.

Chris knew Peter was working on figuring out something to do with his life and he was proud of that, actually. He had a pair of earbuds on and was listening to his favorite music while he pumped iron. It wasn’t that he was conscious of people watching him, it’s just that he had no interest in encouraging anyone. There was only one person who could distract him just by existing and none of the people in the gym could hold a candle to his fiancé. The blond was cute, but she was far too painted for Chris’s taste.

Someone with russet hair was chatting with him when Peter entered the room. Mainly about the nearby gun range. Apparently he’d seen Chris there and was asking about his favorite type of weapon. An obvious excuse to start up a conversation. Chris was well aware about whatever his name was wanted. Instead of pausing in his workout, he kept going. That usually tended to deter potential problems.

Not this guy. Finally, Chris sighed and decided to be blunt. “Look, Um. David, wasn’t it?  I’m engaged, and even if I wasn’t, you’re not my type.” He made a wave of his hand to get rid of him. “You’re blocking the TV and I’m in the middle of a series of sets, so if you don’t mind.”  He glowered.

Usually that did the trick. Chris had a specific look that tended to send people fleeing. It worked. David shuffled off, disgruntled, yet still eyeing the hunter like he was a particularly nice flavor of steak.

Chris put his earbuds back on.

Peter had grudgingly changed into his workout outfit, since they wouldn’t let you in if you weren’t changed. Then he looked around for Chris. Peter knew Chris liked a few different machines to use. But Peter spotted him and walked over.

As he did, he noticed some guy trying to chat Chris up. It didn’t seem like it was working, even if the guy was persistent. Peter heard Chris even over all the machines and clanks of weights. Peter smiled as the guy left and came up to Chris’s side, he pulled one ear bud out. “Hello dear.”

Peter kept the guy in his line of sight. He growled softly. Chris was his mate. If it wasn’t still daylight out and in a room full of people, Peter would rip that guy’s eyes out for even looking at Chris. Peter snarled.

Chris had been intensely concentrating on ignoring the persistent red-head but he was Christopher Argent, a man not so easily snuck up on especially when not in his own home. He did not startle, but he did smile. When Peter was in the room, there was no one else. “Hey.” He paused his set to reach out and lace sweaty fingers with Peter so his scent would permeate the wolf’s skin and calm him down.

He knew what that snarl meant and wasn’t sure why Peter would be at all insecure. As soon as he’d walked in and made a bee-line for Chris there were plenty of gym goers who wished they were Chris.  Chris also liked to see Peter in his gym shorts. They filled out his ass particularly well and showed off his thigh muscles.

And those muscles? Chris knew how powerful they were. How they trembled under his fingers. “I’ve got about a half hour left here, wasn’t sure when you would be home. Tell me later how things went?”

And give me a good view of your ass.

That was the bond talking.

Peter sighed and turned back to Chris, inhaling and smiling. “I didn’t intend to be gone so long. Talked to some deans, they perked right up at the mention of a donation. So I have options and they won’t ask about the coma.” He chuckled.

Peter leaned closer to Chris. “I should probably do something if I came all the way down here, shouldn’t I?” He turned to do some stretches, reaching for his toes. He grinned at Chris. “How’s this?” Sometimes he wondered how Chris could put so much energy into being with him, he wasn’t a teenager anymore. Peter wasn’t either, but he never tired as easily in the first place. But right now it was all about making it painfully obvious who Chris belonged with and vice versa.

The hunter had decades of stamina training, that’s how he kept lean and ripped. Peter was lucky, he was wolf. “It’s perfect now I’ve got something interesting to look at.” Chris smiled.

He really approved of what Peter was doing and tried to convey that through the bond. Of all the things for Peter to tell Chris, he hadn’t expected how close he’d been to getting a PhD. He’d known Peter was smart, back when they had first met. Stanford didn’t accept anyone with a low GPA. Chris was extremely proud of his mate.

Chris wasn’t intending on dragging this out though. He was hungry and he was sure Peter had only come down for one reason. He also knew the wolf wouldn’t leave until he was sure it was completely clear to all the regulars. That and he had to make sure Peter wasn’t going to go after any of them. “Did you talk to our wedding planner? She hasn’t texted me today.”

Peter chuckled. “Glad I can entertain you.” Peter smiled as he felt the bond thrum. “Well I’m just lucky they are willing to think about letting me in and not ask questions about the coma because all they’re obsessed with is money.” Peter stood up, he heard Chris’s stomach grumble.

“Yesterday, she needs more time. School is taking up her extra time. There’s a dance coming up and I assume she’ll be having a party. It’ll be November now.” Which was nice, less stress on Peter in one go. Now it would just be stress over a longer period of time. “But it sounds like you’re hungry. Are you going to stay or cut this early for food?”

Chris finished off a set and got up from the machine. “Good, glad to hear that and I am hungry, yes. Besides, you don’t need to work out, really. You’re perfect as you are.” A few women couldn’t help but aweee, happy for them. In general, the tenants of the building were good people. The red head had vanished rather abruptly after Peter’s growl. “November?” Chris sighed. “Guess we’ll have to do that.”

He washed off the machine handles and took a drink. Then he moved to leave the gym with Peter. Once in the elevator back upstairs he chuckled slightly. “You weren’t really going to kill our neighbor for flirting with me, were you?”

Peter rolled his eyes. “Is there a problem with November?” He knew he didn’t have to work out, he had been humoring Chris. Peter waited for Chris. He hadn’t realized they had been loud enough to be heard by the people around them.

“Maybe.” Peter glanced at Chris. “You’re mine. And if he couldn’t take no for an answer I was going to show him why he didn’t need to reproduce.” Maybe he was getting a little too into it thinking about killing that guy.

“I am. It’s just so far away, and I want to be married to you _yesterday_.” Chris complained as he pressed his sweaty body up against Peter’s back. He kissed Peter’s neck. “There’s no need rip people’s arms off, I only have eyes for you.” He pushed a little once they got out of the elevator, maneuvering Peter towards the apartment with a few kisses and shoves.

“You are the only person I think of when I think about doing this…” Chris ran his fingers through Peter’s hair and caressed the back of his ears. “Or this…” His hands moved down to slide under Peter’s shorts and grab his ass. “Or this…” He leaned in, tugged on Peter’s bottom lip and nipped it.

At this rate they might not make it down the hall, much less to the bedroom. Chris hoped Allison was not there yet.

Peter laughed. At least Chris was anxious to get married. Peter would have been worried if it was a real concern. Peter smirked. “I know that, but I want them to know it too.”

Peter shivered, then chuckled. “I didn’t take you to be such a showman. Anyone could see us. Is that what you want?” Peter was teasing. He was messing with Chris but also wanted to get in the apartment. If anyone was going to see Chris like this it was going to be Peter and only Peter.

Chris wound his fingers into Peter’s shirt and tugged the man towards the apartment. “Everything I want is right in front of me.” He unlocked the door and practically threw Peter inside. Luckily, no one home yet and he didn’t damage anything. “I keep thinking we should just get a house, but let’s stay here for a while. If we get a house, we’ll end up with our pack trying to crash and they will be underfoot all the time.”  

Not that they wouldn’t figure out a way to be underfoot anyway. Stiles constantly came by on one pretext or other. Chris was pretty sure he was waiting for the other shoe to drop, waiting for Chris to suddenly become a werewolf.

They weren’t going to be alone for long, Stiles, Scott, Allison and Lydia had just pulled into the garage and were on their way to the elevator.

“I’m not all that interested in what Cora said,” Lydia shrugged. “I think you should just leave Peter alone for a while.”

Peter smirked. He growled playfully as his back hit a wall. “Our pack huh? And the thought is nice, but you just moved out of your old house. Do you really want another so fast?”

“Lydia, he got away from a trained assassin.” Stiles leaned against the back rail of the elevator. “What about that isn’t either suspicious or a really good story? And you’re their wedding planner, you bother them constantly.”

“Stiles, is right. I just think there’s more to it.” Allison glanced at Lydia. “We can ask and if Peter doesn’t want to talk, then we drop it.”

Stiles scoffed.

“We drop it. If we irritate Peter then my dad will be angry. And do you want to talk to my dad when he’s mad?”

“N-no. I mean, I can and I have-”

Allison shook her head. She hoped Scott would keep Stiles occupied. So much for that.

“Did I say that? I said that.” Chris laughed at how easy it was for those words to come out. “Not yet, maybe in a couple of years when most of them are off at college.” He held on to Peter’s shirt tightly, then kissed him hard, ravaging his lips.

Scott sighed, “I haven’t been able to get him to stop thinking about it, yet. Don’t look at me, but I still think we should have called first. Sorry, Stiles but I agree with Allison, we need to be more careful around Peter. He deserves that from us after everything.”

Lydia glanced over at Scott incredulously. “I never thought I’d see the day that you’d be defending Peter Hale. Congratulations, Scotty, you’ve grown up. Yes, I talk to them all the time and I know that Peter doesn’t like surprises. So, if he doesn’t want to talk about it. That’s it and you two, don’t overstay your welcome. I know Peter’s a great cook. But coming over just around dinner time? That’s a bit obvious.”

Chris kept his fingers on Peter’s ass as he nipped his way down his neck. He kept him pressed up against the wall. “I love it when you wear shorts. God it’s hot. Shows off so much.”

Peter nodded. “Good. Well then it can be a house for just the two of us. Get to spend all our time together.”

Stiles snorted. “He’s not broken, I’m sure a surprise won’t kill him. He’s used to rolling with the punches life’s given him. And does it even count as a surprise when he can hear us?”

Allison smiled and took Lydia’s hand. “This is why Peter likes you.”

Stiles smirked at Scott, then gaped. “Wait, why do we have to leave and Lydia gets to stay for dinner? Are you really going to talk to them about wedding plans all night?”

Peter smiled. “I wouldn’t have been allowed in the gym otherwise, but maybe I should wear them more often.” He grabbed at Chris’s shoulders. Then he heard the elevator down the hall ding. So much for a good time. He debated about telling Chris or not. Stiles had already been scared once walking in on them, more or less. But Lydia and Allison were with them, they didn’t need to see this only so it wouldn’t be awkward later. But Peter loved the attention Chris was giving him, he’d say something in a second.

Lydia had been surprisingly insistent on making sure the men did choose from different selections. Peter especially. The venue had already been selected and booked and the date set in stone. She had given them a few options, but the one they liked Chris argued for because it was more secure than the others. Easier to defend. So, he wasn’t completely avoiding decision making, but he would only say yes if he was sure Peter was okay with it. It was a bit maddening.

Lydia had to give Peter choices she was pretty sure Chris would be okay with and organize them in order of how much Peter liked each one. She was having fun though and wouldn’t hear of letting anyone else handle it. Lydia glared at Stiles, but the glare turned into a smile as Allison took her hand and she checked her hair in the elevator mirror. “Because _I_ have a standing invitation to dinner.” Lydia lifted her chin. “You two are extras. Furthermore, I didn’t mean it like that and you know it, Stiles.”

“Hey,” Scott took Stiles’ arm and distracted him by rubbing his forearm. Pretty much rubbing Stiles anywhere would distract him Scott had recently become aware of. “Quit bickering, you two. We promise not to stay too long, Allison.”

Chris was completely distracted by Peter or he might have heard people coming down the hall. As it was it looked like he intended to pull Peter’s shorts all the way off right there and possibly fuck him against the wall. “We do anyway.” Chris took a chunk of Peter’s skin between his lips and sucked on it, causing a deep, red mark that would go away in moments. In any case, he just kept going. He hooked his thumbs in the waistband of Peter’s shorts and started to tug them down.

The doors opened.

“Thanks Scott.” Allison turned to Stiles. “It’s just easier on my dad and Peter when there aren’t too many people around that they have to worry about. They like having time for themselves.”

Stiles rolled his eyes. “Yeah, extras. Who always saves the day? Us.” Stiles blinked, turning to Scott. Stiles moved closer to Scott. “Sorry, Lydia.”

Peter chuckled. “True. At least when there aren’t kids nearby.” Peter groaned and rolled his hips, glancing over Chris’s shoulder to wait for the kids to see them.

Scott paused right outside the door. “Wait-…” He knew it was too late but he tried to step back and take Stiles with him before they were all scarred again.

Lydia huffed, “Well. You have that in your favor. Anyway, they are adults and they should…” She paused as Allison unlocked the door and was presented by the very interesting eyeful of Peter’s ass being exposed. “Ahem!” She loudly cleared her throat. “They should be AWARE that impressionable teenagers could be walking in at any minute. Really, Peter? You couldn’t have warned him?”

Chris managed to hear them coming at the very last minute. He turned to stand in front of Peter and shield him. “You’re home early.” Chris commented as if he hadn’t just had his hands down Peter’s shorts. He was normally not so easy to sneak up on and gave Peter a slightly reproachful look. “Yes he should have.”

He turned back to Allison and her friends. “You brought guests. Big test? Or is there some other pack reason they are here?” Chris was not in a welcoming mood. The words _get the fuck out_ were on the tip of his tongue.

“What?” Stiles stopped. “Is something wrong?” The door seemed fine, he didn’t hear anything, but maybe Scott knew something he didn’t.

Peter smirked as he adjusted himself. He grinned at Chris. “I was a little preoccupied. Couldn’t really concentrate on my other senses…” He was causing trouble just for the sake of it. He was back to normal. Well at least on the outside.

“Dad, it’s OK. We didn’t see anything. No, no test. Just…we were mulling over something Cora told me when we were rescuing Peter. How he got away from a trained assassin named the Desert Wolf.” Allison turned, she noticed Scott and Stiles weren’t behind her. Maybe that was for the best, Stiles didn’t need to see any more of Peter or her dad like this.

At the mention of the Wolf, Peter’s breath hitched and some phantom memory ached. He groaned. He walked off, maybe he could ignore it and they just didn’t talk about it again, it would go away.

Chris gave Peter a look of disbelief when he said he didn’t hear anything. This from the man who could look out for people waltzing in while Chris’s dick was up his ass. He was generally fine with Scott and Stiles coming over, but he was not in the mood for teenagers now. Especially when he was still sweaty from the gym. He sorted his expression back to neutral just in time for Allison to pop out that question about the Desert Wolf. “Thanks.” He nodded. He was calm now. “Peter?” Chris watched his fiancé head off in some confusion.

Scott had held the door closed so Stiles couldn’t get an eyeful, but once there was an all was clear he opened it. “Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “I knew we should have called. We can uh, just go.” He looked away from Chris and frowned in Peter’s direction. The open link meant that he got some things off Peter, which was disconcerting at best and had him grip Stiles’s shoulder. He’d tried not to let it show most of the time. But he knew that his attitude had changed a bit since he’d opened the link up.

The hunter glanced down the direction Peter had headed off to, probably the bedroom. “It’s alright Scott. I know we forget sometimes that we’re not living alone. Just let me get cleaned up and I’ll see if Peter’s interested in having guests.”

“I doubt it,” Scott said with a very Peter-like expression.  He slid his hand down to grip Stiles’ arm, rather possessively. He suddenly wanted to be anywhere else.

Chris gave him a double-take and frowned. “Lydia, I wanted to confirm about the music before you leave tonight.” He’d been given some choices. He followed Peter. “Hey, are you alright?” He asked him on the way to the bedroom.

Lydia nodded, “Sure, Mr. Argent.” She wasn’t calling him Chris anytime soon. She took Allison by the arm and guided her into the kitchen where she was sure there were tasty things to snack on in the refrigerator. She set her books down on the kitchen table. “That was a funny reaction.” She didn’t mean it was hilarious. Just weird. “Ooh look, cupcakes… Peter, can we have some?” she called down the hall.

“What? What’s wrong?” Stiles glanced at Scott, then after Peter. “What do you feel, or hear?” Stiles turned to Scott again. “Dude, hey…what is it?”

“Dad how can you forget that?” Allison was concerned for Peter, but Lydia dragged her off so she’d have to wait to find out what was going on. “Yeah it was. I hope he isn’t in pain.” Allison glanced out of the kitchen, waiting for Peter’s response.

Peter blinked, he didn’t even realize he had gone into the bedroom. He turned to leave, when Chris headed him off. Peter nodded. “Thought I heard something. I was wrong.” Peter was glad Chris wasn’t a wolf and couldn’t detect his lies.

Peter tilted his head a little, listening to Lydia. “Just one each! I don’t want to have to make a new batch.” Peter smiled at Chris.

Stiles perked up. “I have to try those cupcakes.” He wandered into the kitchen.

Scott glanced up at Stiles and smirked. “Nothing’s wrong. We-…” Scott scowled as Stiles was distracted by cupcakes. He shuddered, realizing he’d just referred to Peter and himself as ‘we’. He rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know, sorry Stiles, my head just hurts.” He said with a groan and tried to lighten his mood a little as he focused on making sure he got a cupcake.  

Chris did not answer his daughter though he did give her a disgruntled shrug. Peter was very distracting, who could blame him?

Lydia took one out of the refrigerator container and inhaled. “Oh my god, cream cheese filled.” She whimpered as she took a bite. “These are so freaking good.” She kept an eye on the group and wouldn’t let anyone take more than one. “I suspect, my dear, he gets distracted by his extremely sexy fiancé.” She smiled at Allison.

Chris frowned faintly as he reached up to rub Peter’s neck gently. “If you’re sure you’re alright, I’m going to take a quick shower.  Can you manage the kids? If not, just kick them out. You don’t need to answer any of their questions, you know. They’re just curious.”  He stripped.

Scott looked slightly out of sorts again. “I feel like I should know something and I can’t-.” He stared at the cupcake that he’d only taken one bite of. “Ugh, I did not sign up for this. I think I’m getting some kind of run-off.” He glared out of the kitchen, and hoped Peter could explain what was happening to him.

Stiles turned to Scott. “You OK? Can werewolves get headaches?” Stiles grinned. “Really? I have to get the recipe from Peter.”

Allison tried to hide the flush on her face by turning to get something to drink out of the fridge. It was strange to hear Lydia make that kind of sound in relation to food. Allison rolled her eyes. “But they both know I’m still here. They can’t be that distracted, right?”

Peter relaxed into Chris’s touch and sighed. He snorted. “I’m sure I can manage, as long as there’s food.” Peter smirked. “Who said I would give them truthful answers?” Peter hummed as Chris got naked, but then headed to the kitchen, to keep an eye on the teens.

“Now really Scott, you’ve seemed quite happy with being a wolf up until now.” Peter leaned in the doorway.

“You sure you’re alright?” Stiles asked around the cupcake in his mouth.

“Remember what?” Allison set some glasses down. “Did you forget something at school? The animal hospital?”

Lydia snickered slightly at Allison’s expression about being forgotten. “Oh I’m sure he doesn’t completely forget, Ally. Your father probably just isn’t used to being the center of a werewolf’s attention yet.” She unabashedly looked Peter up and down as he loomed in the doorway. “Shorts are really not your thing, Peter. So very –.” She could not find a word for it. “High School PE Teacher. These cupcakes though, perfection.”

Scott rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not, Stiles. Who knows? I sure as hell have one now.” He didn’t finish his cupcake. He had something to drink instead. “I’m not sure, Allison, I just feel really strongly that I’ve forgotten something for a moment but it also felt like it wasn’t me. I mean.” He gave a helpless little shrug. “I like being a werewolf, Peter.” He admitted grudgingly. “For the most part. Am I getting feelings from you? Is this your emotion?” He looked like the idea of it was making him nauseous.

“Thanks.” Chris watched as Peter walked back to the kitchen. He sighed and knew he’d have to take a cold shower, but not that cold.  He stepped into the tub and felt the water slide over his body and smiled in relief. He wondered for a moment what it would be like to have werewolf hearing. He’d be able to listen in on that conversation in the kitchen. He sort of felt a little bad about telling Allison he’d forgotten she was living there so flippantly. He wasn’t normally like that. He loved her and didn’t want her to feel like she was in the way. It’s just that when Peter acted a certain way he made Chris forget himself and everything else. He just wanted Peter.

Chris didn’t like being out of control of his desires, but it was also welcome at the same time. Chris ran his hand over his body, imagining Peter was in the shower with him. Maybe standing behind him, hands on his hips, claws slightly digging in. Chris shuddered with anticipation.

Well when Lydia put it like that, it made sense. Allison shook her head. “I have to agree. They’re not you.” She smiled.

“Good, I would hate to know my gift was wasted.” Peter didn’t care that he was still in his shorts. “Which emotion? Be specific please.” Peter really didn’t want to talk about this. It’s why he was deflecting with sarcasm.

“I assume he means the confusion. So what did you forget?” Stiles eyed Scott’s unfinished cupcake and his stomach growled.

“I don’t know,” Peter said slowly after a moment. Looks like he was talking about it after all. “The memory was taken from me. I can’t remember something that isn’t there anymore.” He shivered as he felt Chris through the bond. He smiled.

Scott put the uneaten half of the cupcake in Stiles’ hand, he was too distracted to be hungry. “I don’t know, it’s hard to be specific. It’s –.” He waves his hands a bit in agitation. “Ugh.” He wasn’t’ sure he wanted to say with the others there. “Bitter satisfaction? Like not that I feel that, but I think I should be feeling that and it’s hurting my head because of it. Does that make sense?”

“You lost memories, someone took your memories? I didn’t know that was a thing that could be done.” Lydia blinked at Peter in surprise. “Can you get them back? Is this something all werewolves can do?”

Scott grimaced, “Is it because I’m feeling something you SHOULD be feeling?” He looked so confused as he leaned against Stiles. “Don’t put sticky hands in my hair,” he warned.

Chris knew he shouldn’t distract Peter when there were teenagers in the house so he didn’t go any farther. He knew Scott would get wind of the arousal anyway so he tried to steadfastly force his body into compliance. He wasn’t an out of control teenager just because his dick seemed to constantly want to be inside Peter. He held his dick with one hand and washed it and his balls, imagining it was Peter’s hand doing the honors. The other rested against the bathroom wall. He gave a low shudder of relief. That would do for now. They would take care of their desires later.

Stiles grinned.

Allison frowned. “I don’t know if Stiles needs more sugar.”

Peter nodded. “Though it’s not from me, I’m not bitterly satisfied.” He stood up. “Yes, Talia, my sister. Alphas have that power. I’m sure it could be possible, but…” He let the implication speak for itself. Talia wasn’t around so there was no way to know what he ha forgotten.

“I don’t think so. What need would I have to be bitterly satisfied? I’m satisfied yes, but not bitter.” He was more cautious to avoid this whole memory subject. It could cause a wicked headache again.

Stiles snorted. “I would never. And I know my body and what it can and cannot handle in terms of sugar.” He bit into the cupcake.

Peter pushed against Chris through the bond. “You better keep that promise.”

Of course he would, but Chris wasn’t going to keep up with what he was up to with teenagers in the house no matter how tempting Peter was. Chris grimaced and rinsed off. He got out of the shower and proceeded to get dressed. He felt a little bit better now and could deal with the children.

Scott looked at Stiles warily. “I’ve seen him on a sugar high, he’s not there yet. I don’t think it’s a current emotion? I’m not sure how to explain. It’s like a memory. Something to do with the Desert Wolf.” He shrugged. “I got a really serious hit from you when it was mentioned. I know you don’t want to talk about it, but I’m getting a headache and it’s your fault.” The young werewolf sighed in aggravation. “Sorry, Peter,” he said grudgingly. “I didn’t mean it like that. There’s a way to get back memories, Derek could do it, couldn’t he?”  Of course, first Peter would have to want to have the memories back. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have a gap like that.  He edged closer to Stiles.

Lydia studied Peter thoughtfully. “Maybe you did something Talia didn’t like and if that’s the case, you’re probably better off not knowing. Can we help you prep anything for dinner?” She was being extra nice to Peter for some reason and she usually tended to be the one to push all his buttons. Today though, she was sympathizing with him.

Chris dried off his hair and would be out in a bit. Peter could manage for a few more minutes without him. He hoped. His phone beeped, he received an unknown text message with tomorrow’s date and the entrance to the preserve. That was weird, so he ignored it.

Peter let Chris get dressed. “Well of course it’s a memory.” Peter groaned and clutched his head. Peter took a moment to let the pain pass and huffed. “I don’t want to talk about it, because mentioning it hurts. I’m trying to recall memories that aren’t there…” Peter sighed. “No, they can only be take back from the Alpha that took them. Which would be Talia.”

Peter snorted. “I did a lot of things Talia didn’t like, that’s why it’s like an itch that I have to scratch. What pushed her to be so fed up with me that she took my memories?” He glanced at Scott and Stiles. “That depends, are you two staying?”

Stiles rubbed Scott’s back with his free hand, then shrugged, mouth spilling crumbs.

Allison glanced at the boys. “I don’t think they were staying. Just wanted to drop in. Right Scott?” She wanted Scott to keep his promise to leave and got the feeling that maybe they should stop talking about the memories Peter couldn’t remember.

Scott could never contradict Allison in his life, sorry Stiles, but the back rubbing helped calm him. “She’s right, we’re not staying. We were just curious. Wait, you mean the Alpha themselves? Really? No other way. Sorry. That means Derek couldn’t try. Maybe I’ll ask Deaton.” He knew in his heart he couldn’t let this go. Now that he had the feeling from Peter it wouldn’t leave him until he resolved it. “Stiles…” He tugged on Stiles' sleeve. “We promised.”

“Your sister seems like she was a real charmer.” Lydia lifted an eyebrow in distaste. Taking someone’s memories? She didn’t like the idea of that. “You’re probably better off not digging into that.” She opened the fridge to look at what else was there and took out ingredients for salad. That she and Allison could help Peter with.

Chris stopped to select wine from himself and Peter when he got another text. The text was fairly simple.

C: **Argent, we need to meet. – C.**

Chris responded: **Who is this?**

C: **You need to come alone.**

Chris: **What is this about?**

No answer. Chris pocked his phone. He wasn’t about to go sneaking off after some mystery texter with everything that had happened. “Hey, sorry about earlier.” Chris came into the kitchen looking a lot more refreshed and himself. He went right to his daughter and gave her a hug.

“Unless someone had her claws, then no, there’s no way. You can ask Alan, he’s likely to tell you the same thing.” Peter smirked. “She could be, when she wanted to be. Scott has free reign to do all the digging for me.”

Stiles waved goodbye, trying to swallow the cupcake he had crammed in his mouth.

Peter smiled at Lydia, he appreciated the help. He turned when Chris came in.

“Lydia said it’s because you can’t control yourself.” Allison smirked at her dad, then to Peter.

“Well it’s not a lie.” Peter moved the cupcakes back into the fridge.

“Okay, thank you Peter.” Scott smiled, and backed away from the kitchen with Stiles. “Didn’t you say your dad had found some weird stuff?” He mentioned as they left. He slung his arm around Stiles as they left and possessively nuzzled his neck. “Let’s go talk to Dr. Deaton first though.”

Chris eyed Peter. “Look who’s talking.” He chuckled dryly. Chris looked Peter up and down. “Can’t really blame me, though.” He grinned at the look on his daughter’s face. “I promise I’ll keep an eye on the time from now on.”  He reached over and linked his fingers with Peter’s briefly. “What are we doing for dinner?” He rather liked it with the four of them there, acting like a family.

“Peter’s the recipe genius.” Lydia was washing the vegetables. She hadn’t mentioned how domestic the four of them appeared at the moment and wasn’t going to.

Chris worried a little about the text on his phone, but he didn’t want to bring that up and spoil the mood. This was rare for him and Allison, a quiet moment for the four of them to just relax and have dinner. He hoped that another crisis wasn’t about to land on their doorstep. They could really use the R&R.

“Yeah, but his definition of weird isn’t exactly the same as ours.” Stiles smiled and ruffled Scott’s hair. “I’ll tell my dad we’ll be around later, in case he wants to help us.”

Peter rolled his eyes.

“Dad…Good.” Allison moved out of the way so her dad and Peter could be closer together.

Peter started getting more ingredients out and turned to Chris, he could feel his worry. He let Allison and Lydia help, then once it was in the oven, shooed the girls out of the kitchen. Peter laid a hand on Chris’s arm. “What’s wrong?”

Chris showed Peter the phone messages. He didn’t look at all happy about having to do so. “This is the third time in two days. Nothing threatening so far, just requests to meet. I haven’t gone yet. I did stake out the meeting place and didn’t see anyone show up. That was one during the day.”

Chris did realize that would annoy Peter because he didn’t tell anyone, but they were just recovering from one crisis he didn’t want them to focus on another. Peter needed to recover, emotionally as well as physically. He wasn’t so sure Peter was emotionally recovered yet. “I didn’t want to worry you until I was sure it was a threat.” He tried to explain. “I’m not even sure it is right now, but I don’t want them showing up here. Whoever “C” is.”

Peter arched an eyebrow. “Seriously?” Peter glanced at the texts. “Have you asked what they want?” Peter understood why Chris hadn’t told him about this. “I get it.” Peter blinked. “You think they would be so desperate to get here to see you?” Peter hummed. “You could always get the police to track the texts? Find the location of where they’re coming from for a start on finding out who this person is?” Peter wanted to help and to make sure this wasn’t a trap either.

“I could, but Stiles’s father is still wrapping his head around all of this. I’ve got a weird feeling, Peter. There’s something in my gut about this.” Chris put a hand on Peter’s cheek and stroked it gently. “I’ll respond to the text about tonight’s meeting. It’s at the preserve.” He took out his phone and while dinner cooked in the oven and Peter stood over him, he started texting back. He got an immediate response.

CHRIS: **I’ll be there.**   
C: **Bring your hunting gear**.  
CHRIS: **What are we hunting?  
** C **: Were Coyote.  
** CHRIS **: We have no Coyotes in the preserve.  
** C **: You do now. She migrated.  
** CHRIS **: Who are you? And why did you text me?  
** C: **We have a mutual friend.  
** CHRIS **: Who?  
** C: **Peter Hale.**  
  
Chris blinked in surprise and looked at Peter. “This can’t be a hunter.” Peter had no hunter friends. It didn’t make any sense.

CHRIS **: Why should I come alone?  
** C: **Wolves will only be in the way.  
** CHRIS: **What’s your name?  
** C: **I will answer your questions tonight. Come alone.  
** CHRIS **: Tell me who you are!**

There were no further texts. He didn’t know much about were-coyotes only that they were vicious predators, worse than Werewolves for their territorial behavior. Chris looked at Peter curiously. “Do you know anything about this?”

“So, we’re leaving it to Stiles then? He’s a kid, he can only do so much.” Peter hummed. “If you have a bad feeling about this, it can’t be good.” He leaned into Chris’s touch and watched him text.

Peter tilted his head. “Obviously.” He snorted. “Well they’re not wrong, mixing us with a coyote can’t end well.” Peter shook his head. “There haven’t been any coyotes here in a long time. They’re very territorial. Last one just passed through. I don’t know why your mysterious caller mentioned me, I don’t know who they are.” Peter turned to check on dinner. “Do you want me to go with you?”

Chris had to think about that hard. “I’m not sure. If this person was a friend of yours don’t you think they would have contacted you first? Stiles might be a kid, but he’s got a good head on his shoulders, usually.” He rubbed the back of his head. “This smells fishy and I haven’t had to hunt a were-coyote in a long time. They are usually extremely careful to not get too involved in town or city affairs and we don’t get many reports about them. I don’t think this is a trap, exactly. I get the feeling there’s a reason for the fact that whoever it is isn’t trying to find me by regular means. Maybe I’ll recognize them.”

“I think it might be a good idea if you came, but were not actually there. I mean, if you were within calling distance.” Chris exhaled. “I’ll find out what this person wants and take it from there.”

“There is that, unless they don’t trust me anymore which wouldn’t be a surprise.” Peter turned back to Chris, opening the oven door behind his back. Peter hummed. “Maybe. Perhaps they’re just trying to be cautious, considering you’ll be going after a coyote. Wouldn’t want to throw off their track with a hunter barreling in, no offense.”

“I can do that.” Peter turned to pull the dish out of the oven. He’d keep an eye on Chris too, there had to be a reason this person wasn’t contacting him. Friend or not, Peter wasn’t about to let his guard down. Better safe than sorry. “Go sit, I’ll bring this to the table in a second.”

Chris gave Peter an incredulous look. “I do not barrel in.” Except when it comes to Peter, he has to admit. He likes to pounce and shove into that, a lot. He gives Peter a lecherous look that looked more lecherous than he’d originally intended. He was glad Peter was willing to accept the plan such as it was. He texted the person back to tersely say that he would be there and went to sit down as instructed. He got a bottle of wine for the meal on the way there.

Chris poured glasses of wine for himself and Peter and gave Allison and Lydia a smirk. “No.” He shook his head. About alcohol and minors he was very strict, only on special occasions and this wasn’t one of them. “Allison, I have to go out later. I have to meet someone but Peter will be nearby. Lydia, would you mind staying here with my daughter tonight and make sure that she doesn’t worry. You can’t come with me, I’m supposed to meet this person alone. Would you be okay with her staying, Allison?”

Lydia looked at Chris sharply. “What do you mean alone? What’s going on? But sure, I’ll stay.”  She picked up a fresh roll and grinned. Peter’s food was too good, she only ever ate carbs while here anyway.

Peter snorted. “Maybe not now, but you can be caught unaware.” Peter turned and smirked at Chris, but then he was looking at his phone. Chris walked off and Peter grabbed oven mitts. If he were younger, he’d show off by carrying the dish to the table with his bare hands. But not now.

“If you’re supposed to be alone then why is Peter gong with you?” Allison knew why, but wanted a reason for not being included. She could always sneak out later if Lydia let her. “Yeah, I’m fine with her staying.”

Peter set the dish down in the middle of the table. He uncovered it and steam wafted upwards. Peter glanced at Chris, he had heard the conversation. He’d let Chris deal with Allison. He turned to Lydia. “Ms. Martin, your plate please.” Peter held out a hand for her dish.

Chris looked relieved and countered Peter’s smirk with a smile. He glanced at Lydia, but then Allison spoke. He watched for a minute while Lydia handed Peter her plate. “Smells great,” he commented. It wasn’t a school night, so he couldn’t use that excuse. He’d have to include her.

“Alright, you have a point.” Chris nodded. “But I don’t want the rest of them involved. Just you and Lydia. And you’ll both stay where Peter can keep an eye on you. I’ve been getting texts from someone who claims to have been friends with Peter and they want to meet me in the preserve. They say there’s a were-coyote they are tracking who has somehow managed to avoid the pack finding out, and they want my help. Also, they want me to come alone.”

“Huh.” Lydia wrinkled her nose in distaste. “Does this mean we’re going to get dirty again?”

“Thank you.” Peter went about filling everyone’s plate.

Allison smiled, then turned to Lydia. “That’s not a problem for you is it Lydia?”

Peter chuckled at Lydia.

Allison turned to Peter. “Do you know who it is?”

Peter shook his head.

“Are we going after dinner?” Allison started eating.

“Yes.” Peter sat down.

Allison would make sure to keep Scott and Stiles from showing up.

**TBC**


End file.
